Before the Exodus
by LillyWhiteRosePetals
Summary: Jolene only wants to do whats right. How come whats 'wrong' feels so much better?
1. Chapter 1

This story began as sort of a question, "I wonder what life was like in the vault for 101 before she left?"  
I started writing and the story sort of took on a life of its own. It's not finished yet but I know how I want it to end.

I've got more chapters in the works and am nearing the finish. I wanted to post the first two just to get them out there. I will write and post more as time allows.

Thanks for reading.

WN: (04-12) just editing for format a little. The story itself hasn't changed. It's been so long since I've worked on this I needed to read through it to get the ending just right.

WN: (08-13) yeah, its been that long. Just tiding up before i finish this thing.

**Chapter One: Getting to Know You.**

Thwap. Thwapthwap, Jolene pulled the trigger. Thwap. Ever since her father gave her the BB gun for her birthday she found solace coming down here to shoot. Over the years the three old targets got boring so she rigged up some moving ones. Now they also lacked challenge. What she really wanted was to go on a Radroach Patrol but her father was against the Overseer finding out about her weapon.

"Besides," he said, "your G.O.A.T. test is in a few days. You'll be so busy with your new job that you'll forget all about this old BB gun."

Yeah great, just what she was looking forward to, the life of a Fry Cook or a Laundry Cannon Operator. She didn't know why she enjoyed shooting but she did and she couldn't imagine any job in the vault that would keep her mind from it. Maybe her father's work would but he kept the most interesting parts to himself. She thought about her mom and wondered if she had known about dad's little 'experiments'. There was a noise behind her and she turned, "Oh. Hi Jonas."

"Hey yourself sharp shooter," he smiled.

It was a friendly smile but she could tell he was attracted to her even though he tried to keep it to himself. She didn't care. She knew she was pretty by the way other men looked at her. The pickings weren't exactly ripe 'round here but she figured because Jonas was friends with her father he wouldn't pursue her. She really didn't think she wanted to wed Jonas but she wouldn't mind screwing him. He wasn't a bad looking guy. She giggled to herself, what a devilish thought. She shouldn't be thinking those things. After a few more shots she said goodbye and watched him as she walked away. No, not bad at all.

~~oOo~~

In her room a few days later, she looked through some old magazines from the time before everyone was locked up in vaults. The idea of living in the out of doors with all the wide open space fascinated her. The fashion, the vehicles, the food! She couldn't imagine the disposability of it all. In the vault they re-used everything they could. No wonder their whole society came crashing down but it still looked so lavish, like a child's fantasy. There was a knock and Amata entered before Jolene could say anything. Throwing herself next to Jolene on the bed she sighed, "Augh! I can't stand that Butch and his stupid gang."

"Bothering you again huh?" She flipped the tired page of Rolling Stones. "You know he only does it 'cause he likes you."

"Roach shit!" She threw a magazine at Jolene's head. "Don't say that."

Jolene ignored her friend and opened the Feed and Seed catalog thrown at her."You know, they used to use horse and cow manure for fertilizer before the bombs. Mrs. Horowitz said she's going to try the same with the radroach shit."

"Gross! And stop changing the subject. Butch does not like me."

Jolene put down her magazine and smirked at Amata, "does to."

"How do you know?"

"I've seen him watching you. He gets all quiet and his eyes eat you up."

"Oh, haven't you noticed? That's the way he looks at all the girls with big boobs." Amata giggled. "He looks at you the same way."

"No, his look is special, only for you." She picked up a Life magazines and started flipping again.

"Why do you spend so much time with those old things?"

Jolene shrugged.

Amata lay back on the bed squeezing a pillow under her head, "and there's all the time you spend in the library watching all those old vids. Weird."

"I like them, they're educational."

Amata just looked at her.

"It's our history, aren't you the least bit curious?"

"We get enough of that in class. Please."

"We get what _your_ father wants us to get and I don't think he's had enough time to go through the libraries archives and censor it. Plus," her voice lowered, "Mr. Lawson has let me watch some of his private collection and he said he has others he can get his hands on."

"Mr. Lawson only wants to get his hands on you."

"Amata! He's just a nice old guy."

"That's not what Betty told me. She was in the stacks the other day when he came up behind her and tried to 'help' her reach some vid disk. She said he squeezed her butt!"

"Oh right! He probably just bumped into her, Betty is such a prude."

"That's what you think. You should hear what she did with Paul! Hey," Amata sat up, "let's go down to the Diner and see who's sitting around."

"Sure." Getting off the bed, Jolene stuffed some magazines under her arm.

"Oh, can't you leave them for a second?"

"Fine," she tossed them back on the bed as they left.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Radroaches and a Hot Kiss**

BANG! That was five today. She'd stopped by Hydroponics to kill some radroaches after class. There was always more than Mrs. Horowitz could handle. She picked up the large bug by one of its legs and dropped it into her sack. Cal, the cook in the cafeteria, would like to look them over. Radroaches were nasty bugs but not so bad in a stew. She left the dark stacks and headed toward the lit rows of hanging plants.

"How many did you get today, Jo?" Mrs. Horowitz called as she approached.

"Five, good haul." she smiled proudly.

"Disgusting." Mrs Horowitz's new husband grumbled.

Mrs. Horowitz playfully smacked him across the chest. "Now don't you go discouraging her Lem. Until the Overseer sends us more help with these nasty critters, she's all we've got. That is unless you want to go crawling around in the dark under the tables yourself."

Lem just grunted, gave Jo a curious look and wondered off.

"Don't let him bother you Hun, he's harmless. He may not be as smart as my Horowitz was but he knows how to handle the crew and is no slacker 'round here."

Jo imagined Lem wasn't slacking in some other areas that Mrs. Horowitz needed tending. He was a little creepy but easy on the eyes. "Thanks for letting me come by. After I take that G.O.A.T., I don't know how much free time I'll have."

"It'd be great if you found yourself right back here, but I'll understand if you are busy at your new job."

"Thanks again." Jo waved and smiled to Mrs. Horowitz as she walked down the aisle of suspended plants to the exit.

~~oOo~~

Butch and his gang of Tunnel Snakes where hanging out at the Diner when Jolene walked by. He noticed her, tapped Paul on the shoulder as he got off his stool, and headed in her direction. She was usually hanging with goodie-two-shoes Amata or at the library. Wonder where she's off to now? She was a quiet one, one of those smart hot girls that intimidated you with their minds.

"Hey Jo!" he called to her before she descended a stairway. "Where're you off to in such a hurry?" Reaching her in time to smack a hand on a hatch she was tugging open. His gang crowded around them.

_"Fuck," _she whispered under her breath. She could handle Butch when he was alone but with his flunkies supporting him she wasn't so sure. "What do you want Butch?" She would have hit him with an insult but she didn't want to deface him in front of his 'pals'. She wasn't sure what he would do to save face.

With an arm still preventing her from opening the hatch, he loomed over her and plucked at the pack she had over her right shoulder. "I just wanted to have a little chat is all."

"What do you want to talk about?" She put her left hand on her hip as the other still held her pack strap. There was no way she was going to walk away from this one. She was going to have to play along and hopefully talk her way out of this.

So this was what it took to get her attention? Why couldn't she show this much interest in him one on one? Why were girls so hard to understand_? _Butch's inner thoughts clamored on_._ Well he had her attention now didn't he? So say something!  
"Well, well, well, would you look at that boys, no 'Fuck off Butch.' No, 'Get the Hell out of my way Butch.' Oh no _now_ she wants to have a conversation. Now I finally have her complete and undivided attention!" He spread his free arm wide turning slightly toward his minions and then back to her.  
Ok, so now what was he going to do? He had her attention, she was waiting. His gang was waiting. He put his hands in the pockets of his Tunnel Snake jacket. He looked at her standing there looking impatient, impatient and hot. The zipper on her jumpsuit distracted him. It would be so easy to just pull it down. He wondered if she had anything on under it.

She waited. She noticed him staring at her boobs but didn't want to punk him out on it. So she simply brought her hand from her hip, reached across her body and grabbed the strap with two hands. Maybe now that her arm almost covered her breast he could think, boys. She nearly shook her head in exasperation.

His eyes shifted and focused on where her hand stopped. "So what you got in the pack?"

Damn it, why did she have to go this way? Sure it was shorter but past the Diner and someone was always in the Diner. She got lazy and this was where it got her, stuck in a stairwell with a horny moron and his lackeys. "Mrs. Horowitz asked me to take some plants to Cal before they went bad."

"Looks like you're too late." One of the group poked at the pack where juices were dripping out.

"Hey!" She jumped away from him and toward Butch, her left shoulder bumping into him.

"Easy there girly." He placed both hands on her shoulders. "It's just some plant goo."

She was getting more afraid now and tried to wipe the fear from her face before she looked up at him. "I really need to get this to Cal."

Whoa, was she pleading with him now? She looked so vulnerable.

She hated this. She was getting angrier with herself by the second. It was so stupid to come this way. He was going to find the roaches and the BB gun and then she'd be in the shit. She HAD to get out of here.

"I think there should be a price to pay to get through this door, don't you boys?"

"Yeah. Uh huh." the crowd came back with a collective agreement.

Looking back at her he felt his cock starting to harden with his idea. "What do you say to a little kiss? Then we'll move along and let you go."

"A kiss!" she spurted. She had not expected this. "Look, my dad's the doc. I could get you guys some jet or something..."

"No, no, no," he felt himself grow bolder. "Today a kiss opens the door."

His hands were still on her shoulders. She could hear the drip, drip, drip of the pack leaking. "Fine." she sighed. "Fine Butch, one kiss and you'll get out of my way?"

"Sure sweet cheeks, but it has to be a good one. No quick smack. Oh no, I want tongue. I want a willing deep kiss."

Wholly crap, really?, she thought. "Ok, fine let's get this over with." Where was the damn Security Patrol when you needed them?

Butch pulled her to him. She kept her feet planted but he stepped closer. His lips touched and parted hers with his probing tongue. She didn't skimp out. She kissed him back just like she said she would. His hands went to her waist and pulled her to him. She felt his hardness press between them. The cat calls came from the crowd.

"What are you kids doing there?"

They parted quickly sharing a heated glance between them. He pulled the door open and she dashed as fast as she could out the door behind him. They could 'take the heat' as the old phrase went. She hurried quickly down the corridor trying to calm herself. Her first kiss. Why did her first kiss have to be with Butch? Why did it have to be so good? She stopped, took a few deep breaths and rested against the wall. She wiped at her mouth trying to make the sensation of his lips on hers go away. She was almost to the cafeteria. This was silly, she thought. Certainly everyone felt this way after their first kiss. It was all normal. This meant nothing.

Her blood pressure was back to normal by the time she finished speaking to Cal. He hadn't suspected anything. As she walked back to her home she tried to recall the conversation she had with Cal over the radroaches but all she could think about was Butch's hands pulling her against him and the taste of his tongue on hers.


	3. Chapter 3

I want to thank everyone who reviewed. I love the feedback and knowing others are enjoying my story.  
I also want to thank anyone who put this on their Story Alert.

**Chapter three: Jonas' Blue Balls**

She didn't see Butch or his gang again until the G.O.A.T. test. He seemed to have returned to his normal self. Creep. Although, she thought she caught him staring at her. Once she got the results of the test though she was too excited to stick around. She had to get home and tell her dad the great news.

~~oOo~~

Jonas was there when Jolene told her father she'd be working with him. They were both so very excited. Jonas joined in their celebration although he wasn't as surprised as they were. He had called in a favor with Brotch. It would have been a waste for her not to follow in her father's footsteps. He also knew if she went anywhere else to work she'd be out of his reach. She would be busy with whatever job she got stuck in and he would rarely ever see her and that was something he didn't want to take a chance on.

In the first few weeks of her training her father instructed her with the basics, then as Jonas had suspected James went off on his own projects and left her instruction to him. The two of them usually spent all day with a few patients but on the average everyone was in good health within the vault. Most of their visits were checkups and accidental injuries. She handled everything from boring foot fungus to a severed finger with calm professionalism, just like her father. Their down time was spent going over text books and procedures. He felt himself growing more and more attracted to her and had no signals from her that she didn't feel the same. She laughed at his jokes; she smiled in his presence and frequently touched him while they worked together. She even sought his embrace for comfort when Connie had a miscarriage. He had been so overwhelmed by the smell of her hair and the feel of her body in his arms he had nearly kissed her.  
The next day he asked James for permission to pursue his daughter. Having known James for years and being good friends, Jonas didn't want to show any disrespect. What he hadn't expected was his friend's strong response.

"Wait, let me get this straight, you are asking me for permission to 'date' my daughter? My daughter, who happens to be over fifteen years younger than you?"

"James, are we not trying to keep the population of the vault going? Hell, John even has two wives."

"None of them are my daughter."

Jonas sighed, "I have the utmost respect for you and you know it, but she isn't a little girl anymore. I'll keep my feelings to myself but I want you to think about this. Who else would you rather see your daughter with?"

~~oOo~~

That was a week ago. Now he found himself in the lab late having a hard time concentrating on test results, when the lab door swished open. Jolene strolled in carrying a pack, clearly on her way out.

"Oh, Jonas, I didn't expect you to be here."

He stood laying down his text pad, "obviously not. Heading out?"

"A…Yeah. I didn't want to wake dad by unlocking the outer door so I thought I'd go through here."

"Well that was thoughtful." Clear sarcasm.

"Ok, so you caught me. I was just going out to shoot some targets. You know just blow off some steam."

He could think of a better way to do that. "You know that part of the vault is restricted at this hour? If you want me to, I could go with and speak to Chris in Security to let you in." He reached to open the door.

"Um, Jonas," she sighed, "I won't need you to do that. I've got the codes."

He looked at her, puzzled, "and Chris?" What was her arrangement with Chris? Wholly crap, had he overlooked some competition? Stop it!, he told himself, stick with the conversation here.

"I won't see Chris. I'm not going in that direction."

"Ok Jolene," breathing a sigh of relief he crossed his arms, "where are you going?"

"Hydroponics."

He raised an eyebrow.

She thought he looked cute when he did that. Because of his interest in her, she was willing to bet he just might keep her secret. She reached out and touched his crossed arms. "You promise not to tell my dad?"

He took her hand into his and raised her chin with the other so he could look into her deep brown eyes. "Tell him what?"

She grinned up at him and he couldn't help smiling back. Then she was out of his hands and spewing her secret excitedly. As much as he hated to let her go he was thrilled to be taken into her confidence.

"So you mean you, Mrs. Horowitz, Lem, Cal and several cafeteria workers have kept all this from not only your father but Security _and_ the Overseer?"

"Yep." She was grinning from ear to ear.

He had no idea she could be so sneaky.

She took his hand and brought it up to her chest. "So please tell me you won't tell?"

Why was James so hard-headed? This was breaking his heart and making his jumpsuit slightly uncomfortable. "I won't tell but I will worry." He reached behind her neck, pulled her in, and kissed her on the forehead. "I will wait here 'till you return." He sat back down behind his desk.

She looked at him with those smoky eyes, "Jonas, I…"

"No. No don't say it. I'm glad you feel you can trust me. Now get out of here."

"Thanks." She smiled.

"Be careful." He said sternly and she was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four: Power Corrupts**

She'd been so busy with her G.O.A.T. job in the clinic that she hadn't been to kill the radroaches in almost four months. It was quite late and most of the growing lights were turned off across the bay. As she happily carried her full sack toward the exit she thought about the last time she went hunting, when Butch kissed her. She thought about that kiss a lot, especially late at night, alone in her room. She secretly wanted to run into him again tonight but knew it was unlikely. His job as a hair dresser kept him at the other end of the vault. She was fantasizing about a rather risqué trip to the salon when she heard shouting coming from Mrs. Horowitz's quarters. It grew louder when the door swished open and a half dressed Beatrice ran out while Mrs. Horowitz shouted behind her.

_Wholly crap._ Jo squatted down between the rows not wanting to be seen. The door swished shut again while Beatrice ran for the exit hastily putting on her clothes. There was more shouting coming from inside and then something crashed. She wasn't sure what to do, Lem was a young guy and Mrs. Horowitz could be her grandma. She crept closer to hear them better.

"How dare you bring that trash into my home!" Jo could hear the tears in Mrs. Horowitz's voice.

"I'll do whatever I want, to whomever I want. You don't control me like you did your dead husband!" It was Lem shouting.

"You bastard I want you out!"

"I'm not going anywhere so shut up!"

"Get out! Get out! Get out!" Jo heard things crashing and breaking.

"Stop it!" Lem shouted. She heard a loud smack then another, "I'm in control here not you," and another smack. Someone hit the floor and Jo guessed it wasn't Lem. He was beating her. She had to do something. She dug her BB gun out and punched a few buttons in the door panel. It swished open. No one heard it over the cries and blows. Mrs. Horowitz was on the floor covering her head. Lem stood over her swinging his arms. Jo took careful aim not wanting to take out an eye and fired two shots into his upper arm.

"Owe! what the..." he turned, saw her and lunged in her directions. She took off running.

~~oOo~~

Two hours later she was sitting outside the Overseer's office with Security sitting on either side of her. Her father was also summed and in with the 'Almighty' now. The door opened. As her father passed, he didn't even spare her a glance.

"Send her in." The Overseer's voice came from within. The three of them rose and walked in.

"You gentlemen can go." He dismissed the guards with a wave. "Have a seat Jolene and tell me what happened tonight."

She explained what she had been doing and what she had seen.

"So you decided to just shoot him?"

How could he be so glib? "He was hurting her."

"Why not simply go for help?"

"I wasn't sure he wouldn't hurt her badly. He needed to be stopped."

"So you took in upon yourself to stop him?"

"Well, yeah."

"And the BB gun," he picked it up from the table as he spoke. "Your father gave this to you for your tenth birthday?"

So dad was in trouble too? "Yes he did, but he didn't know about my hunts. I was only supposed to use it in the reactor room at the targets. I..."

"That's enough." He paced the room, hand to his chin, thinking.

She really screwed up now. The least that would happen was she'd never touch her BB gun again.

Finally he stopped pacing, sat back on the front of his desk, and spoke down his nose at her. "You shot someone this evening. You took this weapon and fired it at another wanting to cause bodily harm. For this I should banish you from the vault. "

Her hearth stopped. _Leave the vault? No one ever left the vault_. "But it's only a BB gun and I shot his arm, I wouldn't miss. I know how to use it. He was hitting Mrs. Horowitz. Have you seen her? She's all banged up. I'm I..."

"Calm down. Now, there is another way around this. It goes without saying you will not get this back." He touched the gun on his desk. "Now you have a choice to make young woman." He steepled his hands, "You can either go to work in the Core, wearing those heavy hot environmental suits, burning the highly irradiated material or..." he put his steepled fingers to his lips and pushed off the desk, "you could come here once a month, kneel before me and suck my cock till I come all over your face."

"Wh..what?" she couldn't believe what she just heard.

"A beautiful woman with your good genes shouldn't to go waste in the Core." He smiled over his fingers.

"I..."

"I understand, it's a lot to think over. I can give you twenty four hours in the brig to think about it." He pressed a button on his desk and Security entered. "Our guest is ready to go."


	5. Chapter 5

I am very pleased to have as many people as I do following my little fable. Thanks to all of you for your feedback.

I am loving the feedback. Please if you stop by to read review.

**Chapter Five: The Core**

Thirty two hours later she crawled out of her bed and tiredly walked into their small kitchen. Her father was sitting at the table. She got a cup and dispensed some coffee joining him. Neither spoke right away. She grabbed a multi-nutritional bar and chased it down with the rest of her coffee. "How is Mrs. Horowitz?"

"Some nasty bruises, black eye, busted lip. Lem was sentenced to six months in the Core."

"Guess I'll be seeing him there today then."

"The CORE! He can't..." James burst out but then checked himself, of course the Overseer could do whatever he wanted. "How long?"

"I don't know dad." _'Till I decide to swallow his load?'_ "Probably indefinitely."

"That's wrong everyone gets a sentence. I'll speak to him."

"NO dad, I'm sure we'll find out soon enough, just don't get involved, Ok?"

"Fine. Honey I'm sorry." He pulled her in for a hug. "But if we don't hear anything..."

"Yes dad, I understand." She thought it was odd her father apologizing when he should be chewing her ass off. "You okay dad?" she asked when they parted.

"Yes honey. Be careful down there."

"Sure thing."

~~oOo~~

Two months of popping Rad-Away and Rad-X all day, stinking, sweaty hot in the one-size-fits-all radiation suite, burning the rods, scraping the burners, packing the ash and shooting it down the hole. The job was once staffed full time in the early days of the vault. There were people actually so eager to be in the vault that they agreed to do the job. Wanting in so badly that they agreed their offspring would continue to do the work of their parents. Generations in the Core. What Vault Tec didn't plan on was that the long term exposure to the radiation, not to mention the hot environmental suites, made for low sperm count. After two hundred years or so the Core staff was starting to feel the strain of a lower workforce and they asked the Overseer for help. He made a show of sending them to the doc and getting fertility shots. This only prolonged the inevitable. So now the Core was only worked by ne'er-do-wells and nonconformist.

~~oOo~~

Butch couldn't believe she'd been sent to the Core. All this time he'd thought she was this smart goodie-two-shoes then she goes and shoots someone and gets sent to the Core. He'd thought she'd be out shortly but here it was nearly two months later. He tried to speak to her father but that only left him infuriated. He tried to corner Amata about it but she wasn't talking. The 'employees' of the Core were escorted to and from their quarters or the brig each day by Security. He'd only be able to catch a glimpse of her as she passed.  
Waiting, he leaned against a corner at one of the hall junctions chewing his gum, hands in his Tunnel Snake jacket pockets. He heard the hatch open and watched them climb the stairs as they approached. She looked tired, head down. Her guard threw him a warning look.

"Hey Jo." He felt his voice crack a little, not sure what he was doing here but fully aware how she excited him.

Her head jerked up in his direction. "Butch?" She looked at him with a puzzled face. Slowing her pace, the guard gripped her arm pulling her along.

"Move along." He said to Butch.

She looked back at him. Was that eagerness he saw in her eyes? Was she happy to see him? Then they were around the corner and out of sight.

_Fuck it._ Why did he come here? Why did she make him feel this way? He smacked the back of his head against the wall. How'd she get herself into this?

~~oOo~~

In her room, dressing for bed, she thought of Butch. Why was Butch in the hall? Did he really think about her?

"I'm going to call Security, LEAVE!" She heard her father angrily shouting at someone. "You are not welcome here."

"I just want to see Jo."

It was Butch. She opened her door.

"Goodbye , and don't come back!" Her father pressed the lock and the door quickly swished shut.

She peered around the corner into the main living area. Her father looked exasperated. "Is this what happened? You hanging around with his type?"

"Dad?"

"That...boy has been here twice now. What kind of company are you keeping?"

"I'm not. He..."

"Ahhh," he sighed dropping his arms. "I'm sorry honey. This has been hard on both of us. I can't believe we haven't heard from the Overseer."

"It's okay Dad."

"The Hell it is! You're wasting away down there with all that radiation exposure..."

"Dad...Dad?" She took his arm and wrapped it around her, "if I don't get released when Lem does I'll go see him okay?"

"Four more months?"

"I shot him Dad."

"Okay fine, but no more."

"Thanks Dad." Parting from their embrace she went off to bed with thoughts of Butch and the Overseer.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Accident Prone**

You gained entrance into the Core through a hatch labeled Man or Woman Core Door. It opened onto a large room sectioned off into showers, lockers, and a kitchen. It could easily hold forty girls. She counted the lockers once and there were eighty. She imagined the Core working at peak performance would have four shifts of about twenty girls. Assuming the guy's locker room was a mirror of this, and knowing that there were never more girls than guys in a dirty job, maybe an average shift of twenty five or so used to man the Core. Now they were working with about that for one long shift.

The work was brutal. The suit carried its own water so you were in it a full six hours before you got a break. If you had to pee, which hardly happened because of how much you sweat, the 'underpants' collected it. She avoided that. After six hours she came back in here. Her suit was sprayed in an outer chamber with what she assumed was Rad-Away. She had half hour break then back at it for another six more.

At the end of the shift they had to make sure there were enough rods stacked and burning to provide enough electricity throughout the night.

There was no Security in here. They all watched with the techies from behind the glass window up top in the Core, sometimes sending instructions through the intercom. There had been one other girl when she started her time but yesterday had been her last day. She wanted to ask if the Overseer ever offered her any 'deals' but couldn't bring herself to do it. She'd been in for counterfeiting ration cards, her and her husband. He did have one more month to do, but maybe she was visiting the Overseer now.

She dressed alone. There were Security cameras in the locker rooms but she didn't know if they were monitored. She was careful as she dressed of the bruises Lem had given her, his 'clumsiness' with the rod transport cart and his 'awkwardness' with tools caused her all kinds of injuries. _Prick_. She sometimes wished she'd shot him in the eye or had had a real gun that night.

Zipped and velcroed up she stepped into the outer chamber to be sprayed and start her day.

When she walked out she didn't notice the noob until she heard him getting instructions. She thought nothing of it and went to her task of removing last night's rods.

There were two walls filled with ports in a honey comb pattern. Each wall was separated into quadrants. You opened a quad, took out the hot rods with tongs, put them in a cart, wheeled them to the center of the room. Then you scrapped the quad and packed the ash from it into a drum. The drum was loaded and carted off to be shot to the surface for disposal. Then you loaded cooled rods back into your quad.

There was an hall through one of the cooling walls that lead to a room just like this one. They split up into groups of ten or so to each room. The window above monitored both rooms.

Each wall had four large garage-like doors that opened to reveal four quads of rods. To get to the top two quads you used a hydraulic lift built into the floor. You had to lift it before the garage door below was opened or you'd smack right into it. She had grabbed a pair of tongs and a scraping tool from the spray chamber. She headed for quad one. The new guy was working with someone on the cooling side. They would all remove rods and swap them out in the center of the room.

Lem was causing an issue on the cooling side today. They were supposed to rotate sides but Lem wasn't playing. Lem stayed on the cooling side so she stayed on the cooking side. This arrangement reduced their run-ins to the middle of the room. She worked with a guy named Pete most days. He was sentenced for having what the Overseer deemed 'inappropriate' vids. She didn't ask. They both got on the lift , remoted the door open and a blast of intense heat entered the room. They lifted themselves to the rods. They got to work removing the twelve rods piled on top of each other four deep to a tube, each about two feet long. When it was empty they would begin scraping. They literally had to climb into a tube and scrap the walls working their way out. The tubes were slightly wider than a coffin and it took some getting used to. She would rather be smashed in half by the garage door while trying to exit, then be trapped in those tubes to cook. Once the cart was full of rods, they'd drop down and wheel them to the center, grab an empty cart, and go back for more.

Lem was eyeing her more than usual today, which was a bad sign. On days like these she ended up with more bruises.

She and Pete came down with their first load. They unhooked their cart and started to wheel it to the center of the room. Surprise, surprise Lem's cart was ready to go at the same time. The carts were very heavy and took two people to move carefully. She took the front and Pete took the back. She was guiding it into the slots in the center of the floor when she was hit in the back with Lem's cart. The impact planted her face first into their cart. Her whole body was wedged so tight she wasn't moving and could hardly breath.

"Oh my bad, I let it get away from me." Lem made like he was trying to move the cart off of her. She felt her hips and ribs grind against the carts and cried out.

Pete tugged at their cart trying to back it up.

Lem then decided to help pull her out. "Need a hand honey." He reached in and grabbed her arm pulling her. She was moving then felt her leg get stuck on something. Others were working at the carts now. She could feel some space opening up but her leg was caught.

"Give me your hand!" Someone pushed Lem out of the way and reached for her.

"Butch?" She felt dizzy all of a sudden and could swear something warm was running down her leg. He tugged and she screamed. The thing in her leg was cutting her as he pulled.

She could hardly breath. She sucked in air as the carts slid apart and collapsed on the floor. Getting up on all fours she emptied her stomach in her suit. She was going to pass out. Someone shouted, "She's bleeding!" Strong arms picked her up and everything went black.

~~oOo~~

"God damn it James she can't go back in there! She's suffered severe radiation poisoning. She nearly died!"

"Don't you think I've tried? The Overseer says as soon as she is back up she finishes her sentence. At least I got that much out of him. Lem has also been dealt with. He won't bother any of us anymore."

"Isolation was too good for him."

"I agree."

"We both care for her James." Jonas prodded.

"I appreciate all the help you have been with her. I know how you feel but my decision still stands. I... I just can't allow it."

"I understand James. I will respect your decision." _For as long as I can._

"I'll take the first shift. Go get some rest. I'll call you around two."

"Fine." He glanced at Jolene under the covers with a saline drip of Rad-Away going into her arm. He'd nearly lost her. 

Jonas was asleep at his desk when he heard her stir and was quickly by her side, hand in hers brushing hair from her face. She wasn't quite awake but she was getting better. Her color had returned. She would awaken hungry then back to that blasted Core. If James didn't change his mind he just might go mad.

* * *

I did my best to describe the Core without making it too boring or the center piece on the table. I just wanted to give everyone a general idea of what it was like. I hope I didn't lose anyone.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Premature Butch**

It had been forty eight hours and she was back in the infernal. Her father had told her Lem was put in isolation for the attempt on her life. It seems Lem had attached a scraping tool to the cart before smashing it into her. She ended up with seven stitches on the back of her right leg, some nasty bruises, and a finalized sentence, so no blowing the Overseer after all.

She stepped into the Core looking for Butch. Had she imagined him there trying to save her? She went back to work with Pete and asked if there was someone named Butch on the crew. He confirmed that for her. She glanced about looking for him, damn yellow suits. She spotted him looking for her. Her body warmed at his gaze. How was that possible in this heat? Why did he have such an effect on her? Pete tapped her back to focus.

She met Butch in the center later that day.

"Why are you here?" She wondered if her arousal was apparent to everyone.

"Stealing." he stared at her, wanting to touch her, longing to feel her next to him again. He needed to find a way.

She struggled with her conscience; He was bad; The Bad Seed; The Black Sheep; The leader of a gang. Why did she want him touching her? Why did she want to feel his hands and lips on her? He was serving time in the Core. Um...did you happen to look around and see where you were standing?

~~oOo~~

She was more exhausted than usual at the end of her day. She figured she was still recovering from the radiation poisoning. Standing at the mirror, she placed her foot unto the sink to unwrap her wound before getting into the shower. She couldn't get a good look at it with it being on the back of her thigh.  
Did she just hear the chamber door open? Who? She heard footsteps then, "Jo?"

Butch? She was nearly naked standing in her half T-shirt and panties. She fumbled around looking for something to cover herself with, just a towel.

"Jo?" He peered around the corner. She grabbed the towel. Gripping it in both hands, it simply draped down in front of her.

"Butch, how did you get in here?"

"No one stopped me." He set his helmet down on the sink and fumbled with what to do with his hands. They landed on his belt, thumbs tucked. He stared at her taking in all the bare skin. He'd never seen so much of her before. His heart rate increased. The suit was so damn hot.

"Why?" she asked and realized she didn't want him to leave.

"I don't know, maybe no one saw me." He shrugged and took a step toward her. One hand went to a cold sink, the other tugged at his collar. He wanted out of this thing but needed to take this slow, he didn't want to scare her. She didn't step back.

"No," she grinned at his confusion, "I mean why are you in the Core?"

"I needed to see you." He took another step and pulled at the velcro of his suit with both hands. "No one would tell me how long you'd be in here or what had happened. I mean, I knew you'd shot Lem. Pretty out there crazy thing to do but yeah that's it, that's all I knew and I needed...," Another step. He'd managed to get his suit open over his chest pulled it apart. The towel in her hands wasn't covering much. He could see her breast pushing against her thin T-shirt as she clasped it like a security blanket.

"So you're here in the Core 'cause you wanted to see me?" She looked at him curiously. It wasn't exactly a brilliant idea but she guessed she was kind of flattered.

"I saved you. That cock licker tried to smash you between those carts. I pushed him away and I drug you out. I carried you in here. Then they came and wouldn't let me go with them. I didn't know...I didn't…and now you're back here." He moved quickly as he spoke pulling his arms from the sleeves letting the top half of his suit hang at his belt. When he came at her, she stepped back and bumped into the wall gasping partly from the shock of the cold metal on her back and the pain it caused hitting her bruise. His hands were on her shoulders. They felt hot on her skin. She took in the sight of him; his strong arms and broad shoulders, how his T-shirt clung to his sweaty chest. She reached out and touched him tentatively. He was so firm. She looked up at him apprehensively admiring his strong features. He was not the kind of guy she should be with. He leaned in and kissed her. She exploded with hunger for him. Dropping the towel she grabbed the back of his neck holding him as their kiss deepened. He grabbed her around the waist with one arm, the other finding its way under her shirt gripping her breast. She arched against him rubbing hard against his ridged cock.

"Oh yes." She sighed into his ear as he nibbled her neck. She ground against him harder. He tried to push away to gain some control but it was too late he exploded in his suit. He gasped and placed his hands on the wall behind her holding himself up. She was still all up on him. He pushed away feeling embarrassed "I'm sorry, I…I need to go."

"But?"

"I don't know… they might be looking." He turned and grabbed his helmet while pushing his arms back in his suit.

"Butch?" She followed, perplexed.

He suited up at the chamber door and turned back taking her into his arms he kissed her again. He could go again. No. "I really need to go. I'll be back as soon as I can." She didn't want him to go. Placing the helmet on, he stepped into the chamber and gave her one last amorous look as he left.

What the fuck? How could he just leave her like that? Why'd he come here and start that if he was just going to leave? He did say he'd be back. She really needed that shower.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Once again, with Feeling**

Pete refused to switch working partners with Butch. Pete said she was the cutest worker in here and the young punk could suck it for all he cared. It was probably for the best anyway, she was sure being by Butch's side all day would drive her crazy with no release.

After her shifts she'd dilly dally in the girl's locker room each night hoping he would show up. Three weeks went by before she heard the chamber door open again.

"Butch?"

He was stripping off his suite as he approached. She quickly caught up to him. They embraced violently. He slamming her up against the lockers as he pulled at her half T-shirt and moved her panties aside. She cried out when he entered her. It hurt but felt so good at the same time. Blood of her innocence dripped onto the floor as she wrapped her legs around him. He filled her completely. He was so strong, holding her up and thrusting into her. She screamed out when she came, from pleasure and shock. How could this be so good? He soon followed nearly collapsing against her, very similar to their last encounter. Had that been why he had left before?

He laughed and started to carry her to the shower. "We only have a half an hour. I had to bribe my guard with alcohol rations." He turned on the shower still holding her.

She squealed, "Our clothes!"

"I'll help you out of yours don't worry."

They had to dress quickly. She was to go first and his guard was to meet him once he saw Jolene and her guard leave. Butch also explained that they could only meet once every two weeks.  
She kissed him hungrily before leaving. Once in the hall, she kept her head down as she was escorted back for fear her grin would provoke suspicion.

And so that was how she carried out her remaining four months. Working hard twelve hour shifts a day and monkey fucking Butch every other week in the ladies locker room. When her time was up he still had three more months to go. They both agreed no contact, not even through vids during that time. They didn't want to risk it. She also agreed not to go shooting anyone else.

.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry it took longer than normal to update. I was on vacation :) I thought i would write some but that just didn't happen.

**Chapter Nine: Home Again**

On her last day, outside her quarters, the guard handed Jolene her Pip-Boy. She was staring at it when the door burst open and her father and Jonas greeted her with enthusiastic hugs and kisses.

"We wanted to throw you a party but the Overseer wouldn't allow it, something about 'no celebrations for criminals'. Anyway everyone is happy to have you back sweet heart." Her father hugged her again. Noticing that his daughter wasn't in the moment he asked, "Honey are you alright."

"Oh sure dad, I'm just tired. I bet there are plenty of messages I need to catch up on. It's so weird, I haven't worn this thing in six months. I'm just gonna hit it and see you two in the morning, 'Kay?"

"That's fine dear." He squeezed her close once again before she walked off to her room. "You can sleep in tomorrow before you get back to work in the clinic." He called jokingly to her before she closed her door.

"Gee thanks dad." she said before the door closed.

Alone in her room she strapped on her Pip-Boy. It hummed to life making bips and boops as it downloaded all the new information it had missed while lying dormant. While everything downloaded she flipped through some screens and stopped at the map of Vault 101. From this map she could easily find anyone in the Vault wearing a Pip-Boy. There was her dad already back in his study, Amata and the Overseer in their quarters, Mrs. Horowitz in Hydroponics, no one in the Diner. She scrolled deeper, the Core was dark, blacked out. She wondered if she could see the supervisors during the day. She knew you couldn't see the guards, she assumed their trackers were never installed or turned on or off, or something. She moved to Butch's room. His mom was on the map but he was missing even though he was most likely in his quarters. She touched the screen thinking of him, three months. Her father would never allow her to date him. What had she been thinking?

Jonas stood outside her door. He placed his forehead against the cold surface, with his palms on either side. He could hear noises from her Pip-Boy. He imagined her lying on her bed. He wanted to go in and tell her how happy he was to have her back. How much he had worried about her every day, how much he ached to hold her in his arms. James was back in his study, it would be so easy to slip inside...

She was about to change modes when she noticed Jonas outside her door. What was he doing there? Maybe the reason she was so caught up with Butch was because he was her first. What if she slept with someone else, would she still feel the same for Butch? She got up off her bed. Did she dare open the door and let him in? Then what? Would she sleep with him? What if her feelings for Butch didn't change? Jonas wouldn't just go away when Butch got out. She sat back down. No, she wasn't ready to go there. A few seconds later she watched his blip leave the clinic and head to his place.

~~oOo~~

She went back to work in the clinic at full speed. She dived into all the reports catching up on personal medical records and jumped to assist every patient that walked through their doors.

Jonas was thrilled to have her back. "Be careful you don't burn yourself out."

"I'm just happy to be using my mind again. All those monotonous hours doing physical labor drags on the brain."

Jonas had noticed her svelteness when he hugged her two nights ago. She had toned up nicely. "Still, we missed you while you were gone but I don't expect you to catch up on all of it at once."

"I know. I just missed it and I'm excited to be back." She hadn't realized how much she enjoyed this work. Sure she still missed Butch and their time in the Core but this was different. This engaged her intellect, not her loins and her loins were on hold for now.

~~oOo~~

Burying herself in her work kept her mind off Butch; Butch and his strong hands and warm tongue, working hard in the Core and sleeping alone in his bed at night. Then she found she was drawn to her work and thinking about it more; 'How can we quiet little Sally's cough without steroids?' 'How did she get this cough and is it contagious?' 'What can we do to prevent an outbrake?' 'Is she allergic to something in the food?' 'What was going in the food?' The questions could go on, but when she was alone in her bed at night she still thought of him. He was in this vault too. Sleeping just like she was in a very similar bed, she missed him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: Hey, Lucy I'm Home!**

She'd been awakened by a message alert on her Pip-Boy. Without looking she simply dismissed it. It was too early to deal with Amata and her drama with Betty and the Librarian. Turns out Betty enjoyed his advances after all. Betty was just toying with the old man. She wouldn't know what to do with a real...

The Medical Alarm sounded.

She was out of bed and in her jumpsuit in less than a minute. When she entered the clinic Jonas told her there had been an accident in the kitchen. They had called for med assistance over the intercom. Jonas instructed her to prep for patients as he hurried out the door. She'd gotten another message ding on her Pip-Boy about that time and put it in silent mode thinking Amata was just wondering what was going on.

Jonas returned with two patients. She had prepared their stations. As she helped to get them sedated, her father appeared and started working on one. She bounced back and forth for about an hour assisting each doctor in cleaning the wounds, caring for the burns, and monitoring the patient's vitals. After the patients were stable her father patted their backs and returned to his study beaming with pride for his daughter. She sat down to write up the reports.

"Why don't you go eat or shower? I can start the reports." Jonas suggested. "The reports don't need to be rushed."

Almost on queue her stomach growled loudly. They both laughed.

"Okay, but you are not allowed to do them all. I'll hurry and come back to help."

"Sure thing." he'd be sure to leave enough so they'd have plenty of quality time together.

~~oOo~~

She turned on the water and stepped into the shower. Looking at the blinking message reminder she figured now was as good time as any to catch up on the latest gossip from Amata.

The first message, the one that had awakened her before the alarm said: 'I need to see you.' and it wasn't from Amata.

Ten minutes later: 'Wake up.'

Her heart was skipping and she felt warmth spread down her spine.

Butch.

'Damn Alarm. Meet me after the All Clear. Level 2. Maintenance. Watch for the guard near the corner.'

She hurriedly scrolled through the rest of her messages:

Amata.  
Amata.  
Betty.  
Cal.  
Amata.

Nothing else from Butch.

_Shit._

How long ago had they hit the All Clear? Half an hour, forty minutes? She hit the water switch and dried quickly. She couldn't get out of their quarters fast enough. How was she going to get to Level 2 without anyone seeing her? People were going to want to know what had happened and who was hurt.

_SHIT._

She could send a mass post but people still would want to talk about it. She sent Butch a note: 'On my way.'

'Finally. Hurry.'

She slipped out of their quarters on the apartment side. She left Jonas on the Clinic side waiting for her. Dad of course was dependably in his study. It seemed to take forever what with making nice with whomever she ran into and because she took the long way to avoid any of her friends.

Once she made it to the stairs the people thinned out. Coming out on Level 2 she looked for any guards. She listened for footsteps and cautiously stepped out. Her heart was pounding in her ears. She would hardly be able to hear anyone if they were around the corner singing let along just traipsing along. What was she doing sneaking around the vault? She saw the maintenance door but no guard. Hurriedly she rushed to the door and attempted to open it with no sound. The door jerked in her hand as she was pulled into the room.

Butch closed it and jammed something in the door handle. He turned and pulled her into his arms, kissing her deeply. Her body reacted and she grabbed his jacket pulling him closer.

"Wait." he seized her shoulders and pushed her away. Panting he said, "Give me your Pip-Boy."

"Huh?"

He put his hand out.

Damn it these things were a pain in the ass to take off. She put in her code and powered it down. The lock clicked open.

"Butch, what?"

He took it from her and set it on its face. Pulling out a tool from his jacket, he opened the back. "We have to disable the tracking chip. I followed you all the way down here."

She picked up a flashlight from the metal shelf and watched. She'd had no idea Butch had any tech skills. There was a spark.

"There." He tossed the tool aside, turned, and threw his jacket on the floor. She jumped into his arms, wrapped hers around his neck, and ran her fingers threw his hair. She smelled so good. Felt so good. She brought her leg up to his waist and wrapped it around him. He nearly lost his balance. He grabbed her ass with one hand holding her up as the other looked for the wall. Finding it he pinned her there. Grinding against her she gasped and looked at him hungrily. Why did this amazing girl like him? She ripped his zipper down the front of his jumpsuit. He was glad he'd worn a T-shirt, talk about pulled hairs. His jumpsuit fell to the floor as she ran her hands under his black T. Squeezing her breast through her jumpsuit he could tell she'd worn no bra. Naked underneath, _Oh yeah_. He unzipped her and pressed his hand between her legs. She cried out and pressed one hand against his chest and the other clenched his hand that was inside her, pressing it harder. She was so hot. He wanted in her now. Lifting her up, he pinned her against the wall, their jumpsuits dangling at their feet. Entering her they both moaned loudly. Another hard thrust and he had her pinned firmly against the wall so he was able to get his mouth over her bouncing tits.

"Oh YES, Butch, Yes!" she pounded his shoulders as she tried to bounce on his cock. "Fuck Me!"  
He thrust her hard a few more times and she nearly screamed as she came. She hadn't been this vocal in the Core.  
Relaxing against him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Surprisingly, she bit him and whispered "Fuck me Butch. Fuck me hard." So he did just that. Grabbing her supple waist he rammed into her hard and fast. She screamed out again, pulling his hair with one hand and grabbing her breast with the other. He came hard inside her. They collapsed slowly onto the floor.

They didn't speak as they lay catching their breath.  
_  
'Hell yeah'_. She thought this was worth sneaking around for. She looked over at him, his black T-shirt clinging to his chiseled chest. His beautiful cock nestled in his pubs. He was gorgeous. She sat up and started taking off her boots. Tossing them in a corner she straddled him.

"What?" He'd been watching her by the dimly lit light. Her skin was so creamy and smooth. He was about to reach for her when he was surprised by her mounting him.

"Shirt off." She commanded and he complied. She ran her hands over his chest, biting and kissing it, all the while grinding against him. She nibbled his neck and earlobes. Turning his face to hers she kissed him sloppily on the mouth. Her tongue was demanding and warm. She pulled his lip with her teeth as they parted and he smacked her ass before she slid down his chest. Kissing a trail across his stomach she dug her nails into his thighs and buried her face between his legs. It was his turn to cry out. She grabbed his harden cock as she took each ball into her warm mouth. His breathing quickened. She licked around each one and up his shaft to place it between her lips teasingly. He looked up at him before taking his cock deep into her mouth. He thought he might explode right then and there. She enjoyed pleasuring him, watching him watch her turned her on. She had to have his hard cock inside her again. She climbed back on him and slid him into her. He felt so good. She gripped his chest as he gripped hers and she rode him as hard and as fast as she could. He managed to control himself waiting for her scream of pleasure so he could release his.

She fell against his chest exhausted. He wrapped his arms around her as they rested.

They had sex two more times before they both agreed they'd probably been away too long. She was so hungry.

"I want to see you tomorrow." Butch stated as he finished up getting dressed.

"I don't know Butch, my absence today will certainly go noticed. I don't think I can risk another so soon."

Sarcastically he said, "You can go to the movies or the Diner can't you?" Then apologetically, "Don't get me wrong I really enjoy this, but I...I just want to see you."

She paused zipping up, "We can't meet around others. I can't pretend I'm not attracted to you. Others would find out."

"So that's it huh? I should have known. Just worth a good fuck that's all. Well, fuck you!" He un-jammed the door and left her tying up her boots.

~~oOo~~

"She's been gone for over two hours. She said she'd hurry and we'd do the reports and now she's nowhere to be found." Jonas expressed his worry to James.

"Jonas we live in a vault, where is she going to go? You are acting like she fell off the planet. I'm sure she is fine."

They both turned to look as they heard the lock disengage on the door.

"There she is, the Bell-of-the-Ball." her father came to great her and guided her over to Jonas. "Jonas here thought the vault swallowed you up."

"I just needed some space. The emergency affected me more than I thought. I had to walk a bit."

"You look like you ran a marathon." Jonas eyed her suspiciously.

"I ended up at the gym. I ran the track a little."

"In that?"

"A, yeah," she laughed nervously, "didn't plan that very well did I?"

Jonas wasn't buying it.

"Well she's back now." James patted her shoulders. "Hit the showers Champ." he ruffled her hair as she walked away. 

She returned to the clinic after a good shower and some food. She was putting her lab coat on as Jonas tossed the medical reports on her desk.

"There's only one more to do. It's been a long day I'm heading back to my quarters. If the patients need anything you can't handle let me know." He added just before he walked out, "Oh, and your tracking chip seems to be broken. You may want to get that looked at."


	11. Chapter 11

OMG! I want to thank everyone who has reviewed. I am so happy others are finding this story fun and a little surprised. :)  
If you have just stopped by to read please drop me a line...really.  
With work and now school I will do my best to keep my Friday updates coming but don't be a hater if I miss a week.

**Chapter Eleven (Betty's Birthday)**

She hadn't left their quarters for almost two weeks. She settled into her normal routine and avoided leaving. She wasn't sure what would happen if she ran into Butch. Amata asked her to go to the movies but she came up with a weak excuse. She made no messages to Butch and he sent none to her. Burying herself in the work she attempted to not thing about him.

Jonas took a day or two to warm to her again. He suspected something but was in no position to question her about it. She seemed to be back to her normal self.

Three days later Amata showed up in a dress.

"Don't tell me you forgot about Betty's eighteenth birthday party? Come on let's get you cleaned up and hurry!"

Half an hour later she and Amata left her quarters with goodbyes from James and Jonas.

"You look beautiful honey. If all the boys don't think so they are blind."

"I agree with your father." Jonas looked at her warmly, "Soon enough you will be eighteen." _Finally,_ he thought.

Jolene's father knew what Jonas was referring to, "Yes, soon you will be eighteen, maybe you should take an interest in some of them yourself."

"Oh there are plenty interested, she's just either got her nose in a book or working here." Amata chimed in.

"Is that so? Well we will see what we can do about that." He looked to Jonas. "Now run along you two."

In the hall:

"Geeze Amata, why did you have to go and fill my dad with hopes like that?"

"There are guys interested, you just don't see it 'cause you are too self absorbed. Take Jonas for instance. Did you see the way he looked at you tonight? Wait, wait, wait! Maybe _that's_ why you never leave the clinic...You and Jonas?" she grabbed Jolene's hand. "Oh you _have_ to tell me."

"There is nothing going on between me and Jonas. I mean sure he's attractive and all and a really nice guy but there isn't anything going on between us."

"But you like him don't you?"

"Sure I do. How could I not? I work with him every day. He practically lives at the clinic."

"That's so romantic. Two people close but not close. Working side by side day and night but hiding their true feelings. Not able to express their wants for fear of...of..." she tapped her lip thinking, "her father! Yeah that's it!"

"Amata, stop."

"That's it, isn't it?"

"No. Sure I believe he likes me. Sure he's kind, funny, smart...wait," she stopped walking and grabbed Amata's arm beside her, "Why are we going this way?" They had turned the corner to pass the Diner.

"Betty's party is in the Cafeteria. This is the fastest way." Amata looked at Jolene like she'd lost her mind. "Come on we're late."

The Tunnel Snakes had sat in the Dinner to watch the 'other' kids head off to Tubby Betty's birthday party. It had been entertaining to harass them as they passed by. They were just finishing up with their drinks when...

"Hey, hey, hey, looky here." Paul was standing at the door chewing on a straw when he saw them coming. The others got up to see. Crowding in the doorway they whistled and made cat calls as the girls approached.

"Go back inside, Wally and Paully. We're not interested." Amata put up her nose as she walked by.

"Oh really? I think Jo there might disagree. Wouldn't you say so Butch." Paul called back into the Diner as Butch made his way through the crowd.

Jolene hadn't realized it but she had slowed to catch sight of him. Amata pulled Jo's arm to keep her moving. She Looked at her friend and then to Butch. They didn't take their eyes off each other.

"You mean your best friend didn't tell you?" Paul continued to bait Amata as they headed for the stairwell. "You gotta ask Jo there how well Butch kisses."

Amata pulled Jolene through the hatch drowning out their laughter and whistles. She looked to her friend. "Stupid Tunnel Snakes. What were you thinking stopping back there? Butch sure had eyes for you tonight...and you for him for that matter. You didn't really kiss him did you?"

She'd recovered a bit, "Let's just get to this party okay." She started down the hall quickly leaving Amata behind.

Beating Amata to the party she avoided her among the festivities. There was the usual cake, ice cream, music, dancing, a piñata, games like pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs.

The Overseer stopped by to do a little speech and managed to get Jolene alone. She had been talking with Chuck about his winning strategy in musical chairs.

"Charles do you mind if I speak to Jolene a moment?" His voice was slim in her ears. Everything about the Overseer made her feel unclean somehow.

What was Chuck going to say, No? Hardly. Taking Jo's elbow he lightly guided her away from the crowd. She wanted to jerk away from his grasp but that would only draw attention.

"It's good to see you back among the normal population. I hope you learned a valuable lesson there in the Core. I would hate to see you have to do another stint there. Radiation does terrible things to the reproductive system." his smile was wicked.

Jolene didn't know what to say. She open her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

"There really is no need for that now, now is there? Unless of course you are offering...?" He placed a finger to her lips.

She backed away quickly, nearly falling over a chair.

"Finally, Dad, thanks for dragging her away from the party." Amata hurried over. "Can I have her now?"

"Of course my dear. Jolene it's been a pleasure." he nodded and slithered away.

"Your dad's a dick." Jolene blurted when he was out of earshot not thinking of her friend's feelings.

"Yeah, well we can't all have James for a father now can we? 'Cause he is always so attentive and there helping you in the clinic and not held up in his study hours on end."

"All right I get it Amata, I'm sorry."

"So you've really thrown yourself into the festivities here, even dancing with Chuck, that kiss from Butch must have been something."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Obviously, but too bad. Spill it." She pulled Jolene down to sit at one of the paper covered tables. Jolene proceeded to tell her about that first kiss in the stairwell, about how he came to the Core and saved her from Lem, and how he had bribed his guard so they could meet in the girl's locker room. It felt good to finally share her secret with her friend.

They were interrupted some time later by Betty, "Um... so I'm leaving. Thanks for coming to my party you two." They looked around and realized they were the last two guests.

"Your welcome Betty, thanks for having us."

As Mr. Handy starting cleaning up the girls walked out together. Betty headed right and Jolene and Amata went left. Amata continued to quiz her as they passed a hallway on their left just before the stair well. Jolene was saying, "There really isn't anything else to tell. I met him once after he got out..."

When, a deep but quiet voice said, "Jo." they both looked and what they saw was Butch leaning against the wall, down the hallway partly in shadow. She could see his hands in his pockets. He'd ditched his jumpsuit for a pair of pants. He looked so sexy leaning there, his knee bent with his boot against the wall. He motioned with his head for her to come to him. Amata took Jolene's hand in a tight grip as if to keep her planted by her side.

Jolene stepped to go with Butch and turned back to Amata who was still holding her hand. "I'm with you okay?" Jolene shook her hand in Amata's to get Amata's attention. "Amata, if my dad or Jonas ask I'm with you." she squeezed Amata's hand to make sure she responded. "Okay Amata?"

Amata took her eyes from Butch and looked at Jolene. "Are you sure about this?"

Jolene laughed, "Hell no."

"Alright."

As Jolene jogged to Butch, Amata called, "What about your Tracker Chip?"

"It's disabled." she called back, not looking at her friend.

Amata watched as Butch took her friend into his arms, they embraced and disappeared into the darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: He called me Babe**

Butch got his hands on some alcohol. He showed her the bottle in his jacket pocket. Taking her by the hand he led her quickly and quietly to the main stairs heading for Level 2.

"Wait." she whispered. "I know a better place."

She took the lead now. He wasn't sure where she was taking him but he followed. They went up a level to the services; the clinic, his work, the gym, theater, the library...the library she was heading for the library. They stopped at the entrance, keeping watch for Security. It was locked. She punched in a code and the door opened.

"Mr. Lawson gave it to me." she whispered as they entered. When the door closed he kissed her eagerly. "Wait, not here."

The room was dark yet she led them through the stacks to another door. Again she punched in a code and opened the door. When they closed this one behind them the room was pitch black. He held her by the waist and kissed the back of her neck.

"Give me a sec" He didn't stop as she turned on her Pip-Boy light illuminating an electronic key pad before her. "Butch," she giggled, "Give me a minute and we'll have more light."

"I don't need more light. Although, I like looking at you in that dress."

She pressed one more key and the room lit up from below. He could see a small lamp projecting stars onto the domed ceiling above.

"Whoa."

"The door doesn't lock but Mr. Lawson probably won't be around..."

"Here, let me take a look." Butch took out his tool again and removed the face plate from the door controls.

"What if you lock us in here?" she touched his arm, worried.

"Trust me." He winked at her.

While he worked she slipped out his bottle and sauntered to the center of the room. Sitting on the carpet next to the lamp she took a swig and coughed. "WOW, that's..." she coughed some more.

Looking back at her he laughed, "Have you ever had whiskey before?"

"N...No," she managed. "It makes me feel all warm inside." she took another, smaller drink.

Tossing his jacket on one of the chairs circling the room he went to her.

"I know how to make you feel all warm inside." he said hotly has he approached her on the floor.

~~o0o~~

After several rounds on the floor they lay in each other's arms looking up at the ceiling.

"So you come here often?" he asked.

"Used to. I've been busy at the clinic so not lately. Did you know that's really our solar system? If we were outside right now we could see those real stars."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

He laughed.

"They all have names too."

"Really?"

"Really." She rolled up on him to look at his face. His arm wrapped around her and caressed her naked back. She played with his hair. "There's Orion, the Big and Little Dipper, Taurus, Cassiopeia..."

He brushed her hair behind her ear. "I thought you didn't want your friends to know about us."

"I don't want my father to know about us."

"He wouldn't approve of his little girl being fucked by Big Bad Butch, is that it?"

Not liking the conversation turn, she went for her clothes. "Something like that." Doing the buttons on the front of her dress she asked, "You're good at tech stuff, did you even try on the G.O.A.T.?"

"What's the point? You get put where they want you anyway."

"That's not true."

"It's not huh? Amata's being groomed as the next Overseer or Security Head, you the next Doc, Peter the next Dentist, Carla a teacher. Do you see any of the Tunnel Snakes in important positions?" He was dressed and walked to the door panel.

"Maybe none of you tried." she leaned onto a chair holding his jacket watching him work.

"Maybe you need to open your eyes and see what's really going on in here. It wouldn't have mattered if I tried."

"Well, maybe wear you jumpsuit more often and not give everyone such a hard time."

"We're just goofing, what else is there to do down here, really?" The door made a noise and he put the panel back on. Turning to her he came up close taking his jacket. "and the look," he kissed her, "Babe, you love the look.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: The Tunnel Snakes**

Over the next several weeks she was sneaking out once or twice a week.  
Butch never imagined the library could be so 'educational'.  
Then one night he asked her to meet him on Level 2 again. She wasn't thrilled with Level 2. The cushy chairs and carpet in the library were way more comfortable than the cold metal floor in maintenance, but he had promised her that maintenance wasn't their destination so she complied. He produced a key and led her to the large Supply elevator. Once inside he pressed zero.

The Bottom.

She had never been to the Bottom before. She never really had a desire to go there either. From what she heard it was where all the supplies were kept; cold/dry foods, med supplies, materials/parts, whatever Vault-Tech had decided they would need to survive until the outside was livable again.

Butch smiled at her, "Scared?"

She looked over at him with her dark brown eyes and he could tell she was, a little. He watched as she tossed that look aside and said defiantly, "No."

Damn she was sexy.

Then she curled up to him, running her fingers over his chest. "Do you want to know why?"

Looking down at her he asked, "Why?"

" 'Cause you're with me." and she squeezed him in a hug.

He squeezed her back. He had been unsure about this trip but holding her like this made it all seem right. They stayed that way until the doors opened.

They stepped out into a hall twice the size as the ones above. He led her to a large door big enough for four or five people side by side to pass through. When the door opened with its clicks and clacks she noticed a few large wheeled machines that must have made the black marks all over the floors. They would be needed to move the large boxes which were stacked to the extraordinarily high ceiling at the back of the room and along the walls. There were several of these empty boxes broken down and used as furniture here and there in what looked like a make shift living area carved out among the crates.

"Butchie!" a girl called trotting over to great him. She handed him a beer and gave him a rather friendly hug.

"Cassandra," He hugged her back and kissed her cheek. Jolene felt an immediate pang of jealousy.  
_  
Who was the small breasted woman to him?_

Several others called over greetings.

_Did someone just say?...  
_  
"Happy Birthday you big lug."

_His birthday! He didn't tell me_.

"So this is where you've been spending all your time?" She threw Jolene a condescending look.

"Back off Cass," Butch warned.

Cassandra threw up her hands in an 'I surrender' gesture as she stepped out of their way.

"Come on." He said to Jo smiling down at her. He swung his arm over her shoulders across his jacket. This wasn't like any birthday party she'd been to before; most people were sitting around an old vid screen watching some 'shoot-em-up' that was most defiantly banned, others were at a table playing a card game. There was drinking and she noticed some drugs being used. There was music paying on someone's Pib-Boy but none she'd ever heard before.

They sat themselves on an old loveseat next to Paul. Directly across from them was a couple on another sofa totally making out. Paul seemed more interested in them than what was on the vid screen.

"Happy Birthday Fuck Face," Paul said to Butch without taking his eyes off the couple.

"Thanks Scopto* Bastard," He tapped Paul in the head with his bear bottle. "Say 'Hi' to Jo."

"Oh!... Hey Jo. Nice of you to come. Maybe now we will see more of his ugly mug around."

The girl on the couch squealed. The guy had put his hand down her pants. Paul was all eyes. Jo shifted in her seat. Butch could see she was uncomfortable.

"Hey Richie, Sally... Richie!" the boy looked over, the girl still sucking on his ear. "Take it somewhere else."

"Sure thing Butch," They started to get up, grabbed their drinks. Richie took his girl's hand."Happy Birthday Butch."

"Happy Birthday." Sally said. "Oh and nice to meet you...um...Butch's girlfriend." she called as they hurried away.

Jo watched as they climbed on to a large stack of crates out of site. Several people that were standing around watching the show settled onto the sofa.

Wally came rushing over holding a data pad looking flustered. "Paul I don't know what I am going to do. I need to speak to Butch. I wish he'd come around sometime. I mean it's his Birthday for fuck sake, if he'd only stop popping that sweet Jo then maybe we'd see him sometime."

Paul tapped Wally's leg. "What, what is it?" Wally looked up from the pad. Paul pointed to Butch sitting next to him. "BUTCH! oh...Oh! Butch AND Jo. Hey I'm sorry I'm...It's.."

"Come on Wally what do you got for me?" Butch rose and turned to Paul. "Keep an eye on Jo for me will you? I'll be right back Babe." He leaned down and kissed Jo.

She watched him take the data pad from Wally as they walked to the door, Wally's hands gesturing as his spoke.

Paul scooted next to Jo. The guy sitting in a folding chair next to Paul stood and asked if they wanted drinks. Jo wasn't sure what to say so she just shook her head.

"So, that jacket looks good on you." Paul flipped the collar getting her attention. She was watching Butch and Wally. "You know I never thought I'd see you down here, but Butch has it bad for you so here you are. I'm just not sure it's such a good idea."

She turned to Paul. "What do you mean?" The other guy returned with their drinks. She accepted and thanked him taking a small swallow and puckering her face.

"Well you're the Doc's daughter. You don't belong here with the Snakes. This doesn't gel with the plan."

"I know my father won't be happy but..."

"No, your father is just a small part. I'm talking about 'The Plan'."

"What 'Plan', Paul?"

"She doesn't know." the guy who brought the drinks said.

"You don't know?" Paul gapped at her as she looked at him with confusion. "Fuck you don't know." He shook his head with disbelief.

"You should tell her," that guy again, sitting on the edge of his chair.

"I can't tell her, it's not my place."

"Who else is going to tell her? Butch isn't going to tell her it's too personal and he's too fucking modest that fuck. You're his best friend. She should know. Tell her." He was prodding Paul with his finger. She could tell he'd had a few too many beers.

"Alright, alright I'll tell her." He looked over to check on Butch and Wally.

_'Finally' _she thought, _'what the hell is going on here?'_Paul pointed to Butch and Wally, "Do you have any idea what they are doing?"

"Looking at a Data Pad."

"Do you have any idea what's on that Data Pad?"

"Data?"

That guy laughed, "Oh I like her. Would you just get to it already?"

"Ok," Paul started, "Let me start at the beginning, when Butch was about nine his dad died. You remember that freak electrocution? We all went to his funeral."

She nodded.

"Well anyway, turns out his mom was using his pop's ration card for booze, well no dad, one less card and old mom is crankier than shit. So she has this idea to go see the Overseer. You know old Al's wife was dead and maybe she was thinking of trading herself for some drink. Well it turns out he wasn't interested, at least not in her." He paused to let it sink in pointing his head in Butch's direction.

"You mean...Butch? But the Overseer..."

"Now, let's stay on track here, so little Butchy here has to 'visit' old Al on a regular basis. This goes on for a while at least a year I think." He looks to his drunken friend for confirmation. "Then one day at school he sees me bawling my eyes out in the pisser. I spill it all out to him; the cock-hole's been doing me too."

Her mouth gapes and she covers it with one hand reaching to touch Paul in consolation with the other. The other guy is near tears and is pointing to himself shaking his head in a 'yes' manner.

Paul pushes away her hand. "That was a long time past, get over it." He says the last to his emotional friend. "After I told him, and we found others it wasn't long before I hear he's come up with this Plan and tells it to the old fart Al. See Butch realized that there was only a limited supply of booze in a joint like this and people could be bribed to do just about anything for it, damn if he wasn't living proof. He told gramps Alphonse that if there was a way to make it and supply people with it he could control those in need of it, AND it could be done without so much as splashing Al's hands. And so the Tunnel Snakes were born."

Jolene sat a moment absorbing what she just heard. "So the Tunnel Snakes are working** for** the Overseer?"

Butch was walking back over and stopped short when he heard Jo. He cut his eyes to Paul, "You told her?" His eyes burned into his friend.

"Hey, you're a hero in my book." The drinking friend chimed in, toasting Butch with his drink.

"She should know what she's getting into." Paul simply stated.

"You had no right!" Butch grabbed Paul by the shirt with two fists pulling him up off the sofa. He glared at his friend.

"She doesn't belong here. She's going to be the next Doc. She can't be a Tunnel Snake."

He shoved Paul back down. Turning he took Jo's hand, stuffed a Jet in his pocket, grabbed a large bottle of booze and stormed away.

############################################################################

*Scopto...my attempt at slang in the vault. It's short for scopophilia, a voyeur. I thought they had to have some new slang and went with it.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Butch's Salvation**

They didn't go far. He pulled her a few paces down the hall into another large-door room. This one housed more moving machines and benches with tools to fix them. He gathered her to him and kissed her passionately. After taking a drink from the bottle he put it down and dug the Jet out of his pants pocket. He took a hit and offered it to her. She accepted.

Jolene hated seeing him like this. She could tell he was angry but she couldn't tell if he was angry with Paul or at what Paul had said. She couldn't be a Tunnel Snake and be a Doc too, she could see that now. All she wanted to do was date Butch but their relationship just got more complicated.

He took another hit from the Jet and a swig of the booze and slid down the wall sitting against it. She reached out and he handed her the Jet. She took another hit, starting to feel its effects. Leaving it on the bench in front of them she joined him on the floor.

Jonas and her dad weren't that old, certainly someone would score high enough on the G.O.A.T. to apprentice under them before too long, right? She wouldn't be the only doctor?  
Sitting in between his bent legs, leaning her back against him, they passed the bottle in silence.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and squeezed her to him.

"Fuck him." She heard him say before lifting her chin to kiss her.

Turning she wrapped her arms around his neck as he pushed his jacket off her shoulder looking for her jumpsuit zipper. Slipping his hand inside he squeezed her breast and reached around to undo her bra. Once it came loose, he pushed it up exposing her for his wet tongue.

"He can't take you away from me." Butch continued to talk to himself as he indulged in her flesh.

He nibbled her breast as he unzipped her suit and slipped his warm hand in her panties. Jolene gasped. She ran her fingers through his hair as he slid down kissing and nipping her stomach. Sitting up, she slid her arms out of the jacket and jumpsuit while Butch pulled at her panties and slid them and her jumpsuit to her feet. He ignored them there, her feet tangled in them and her boots. He picked up her legs and put himself between them. Butch took another drink then poured it on her stomach.

"Butch!" She laughed, startled.

Smiling down at her he tore off his shirt and pushed his pants to his boots. Leaning over her he licked the drink off her creamy skin. She squealed with delight. Sitting back he took another drink and spread her peach lips and poured. She arched up at him and laughed again.

"Lick it up, please." She begged shyly.

After she'd shrieked in pleasure a few times he climbed on top pressing his steal cock between them. Holding himself there he looked down at her. She was beautiful...and His.

Grinding against her he said teasingly, "Tell me how much you want me."

"Oooo Butch I want you bad." she wiggled beneath him giggling.

"Tell me you need me."

"Mmmm I need you." Her eyes sparked up at him.

"Tell me you love me." His voice was low, more serious this time.

She looked up at him, his expression was intense. This was much more than their usual snogging.

"I love you."

Kissing her he entered her slowly. He took his time enjoying her bringing her to orgasm once more before surrendering himself.

After some time in each other's arms in post coital bliss they dressed and finished off the bottle.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked passing him the bottle.

"Talk about what?"

"Us, what happened with the Overseer, the Tunnel Snakes, whatever's on your mind?"

"No."

She giggled and said in a sing song, "Shall I go ask Paully?"

"No." he sighed. He handed her the bottle and laid his head in her lap.

The silence between them drew out. She let it go while hogging the drink, then Butch spoke.

"The shit with dick face Al is done. No need to dwell on it, besides if I did I'd probably kill him. I can live knowing I out smarted him as a kid. I'm not proud of what I did or what the Tunnel Snakes do, I just didn't see any other way out." he looked up at her and touch the side of her face, "and us, we're together right now, that's all that matters."

She smiled down at him. "I think it was brilliant."

"What?"

"Your plan. Brilliant."

"You're drunk."

"Maybe," she grinned, "but it was a great idea. You saved yourself and others."

"I simply traded one evil for another."

She took a few more swigs. "What were you and Wally talking about?"

"We are running out of grain. The vault has never produced its own. We've been taking it from storage. If we are going to keep this up we need to start growing it."

"Hydroponics" she suggested.

"Yeah, but we don't have the supplies or the staff to do it."

"You need Mrs. Horowitz on board."

"Right."

"So, can't she just be told to grow it?"

"She knows how much to harvest to feed this place, anything extra would be suspect. She probably knows how much is supposed to be in cold storage too. No, she'll know something's up."

"Can't the Overseer simply order her to grow it?"

"Order her to grow more grain to make more alcohol so he can blackmail or bribe people with it?"

"I see your point."

"Give me that bottle." He reached for it playfully.

She held it up away from him and started to tip it upside down over his head.

"Hey, hey!" He was torn between jumping up and trying to catch it in his mouth.  
It dribbled out over his nose and then his mouth. He swallowed. "It's empty?"

"All gone." She frowned and tossed the bottle.

"Take it easy, we reuse them. I don't have a bottle making factory up my ass."

~~oOo~~

He thought it best to walk her home in her inebriated state. As they approached her floor she blurted, "Radroaches!"

"Where?" Butch pulled her close, whipped out his switch blade and looked around franticly.

"No, silly not here in hydroponics."

"Huh?"

"If the Overseer takes the radroach patrol from hydroponics she will be desperate for assistance. You and the Tunnel Snakes then offer your assistance in exchange for growing the grain. All this supposedly behind the Overseer's back."

"What reason would he have for taking away the patrol?"

"How the hell do I know that? Can't he come up with his own reason?"

"Kill radroaches huh?"

She leaned against the door to the service floor and looked at him teasingly. "You think you got it in you to kill a few roaches." teasingly she played with the zipper on her jumpsuit.

"Yeah I think." How could a radroach conversation turn him on? She turned to open the door. "Wait, there could be guards out there." He looked at his Pib-Boy.

"Silly you can't see them on that." She looked over at his screen. Damn if they weren't on it and so was he, but she wasn't. "How?"

"Different frequencies. You didn't think Security went around not knowing where the others were at did you?"

She just shrugged. "I'm tired."

"The coast is clear, let's get you home.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen: Obsess Much?**

The next day she showed up late to work. At first Jonas thought she was sick then..."You're hung over!"

"Jonas please." She protested laying her head on her desk and covering it with her arms. He came over and sat on her desk, brushing the hair out of her face as she lay there.

"Who gave you the alcohol?" Like he didn't know. He was angry with him, her _boyfriend_, but he didn't let it show.

"A friend. I've never had any before and I guess I had too much."

"I thought you were in your room last night." No he didn't. He'd known she'd gone out. Again.

"Are you keeping tabs on me Jonas?"

"Someone has to." That was the truth. And who better to do it than the one who cares for you the most? Your father is too caught up in his work and that _boyfriend_ is just using you. My precious Jolene, why can't you see that?

She looked up at him then closed her eyes. His cool fingers against her head felt good.

He let himself stare as he ran his fingers through her hair. Jonas wanted nothing more than to protect her from any harm.

"You know Jolene if you needed someone to talk to I'm always here." She had confided in him once, with the radroaches. Why wouldn't she confide in him now?

She reached up and took his hand. "I'm okay Jonas, thanks. Do you care if I go lay down a little longer? Will you come and get me if you get busy?"

"Sure, but wait," he went to the medicine cabinet and filled a syringe. He turned tapping it."Do you want this in your arm or..." He tilted his head and gestured toward her rear.

"My arm is fine, thanks. I'm not two."

He watched her take off her lab smock and hang it up. When she turned back she was reaching for the zipper of her jumpsuit. It was like time slowed down around him. He watched her swing her shining auburn hair back over her shoulder with a toss of her head. She gripped the zipper with her delicate hand and pulled. She stopped just far enough to slide her smooth, bare shoulder out for him. He caught just a glimpse of the white T-shirt underneath.

"Jonas?"

"Oh, sorry. Day dreaming I guess." Injecting it into her he said, "This should help."

"Thanks." She touched his hand before zipping up. "Don't be day dreaming with the patients."

As he watched her walk back into her quarters he wondered what it was she saw in that low life of a boy, Butch DeLoria.

He knew she'd been sneaking out to see him ever since the Cafeteria fire. That was the same day Butch was released from the Core. It didn't take a genius to figure it out, especially when he knew of their 'meetings' in the Core.

He had found out about their relationship from Officer Cowen. Officer Bret Cowen worked in the Core and was kind enough to bring a vid to Jonas' attention. See, Officer Cowen already knew Jonas was interested because of Jonas' clandestine and well funded request for locker room stills of Jolene. Jonas had known he could get the stills because he had seen other 'Core Porn' in the past. He wasn't proud of his request but damn it if it wasn't hard working next to her every day, literally.

When Officer Cowen approached him claiming the vid "was hotter than a Core rod and creamy sweet like Cal's éclairs." Jonas had to have a look. Cowen also swore it could stay a "One of a Kind." if the price was right. The bastard knew Jonas had feelings for Jolene and he knew Jonas wouldn't want this circulating AND with Jonas working in the clinic...well he had access to things others didn't.

Jonas paid alright, but he was sure that fuck kept a copy for himself.

When he finally saw the vid...DAMN... he hadn't come that hard...the fucking thing even had sound. Fucking pervert Security.

He felt angry at first, after the 'shit this is hot' reaction. He felt betrayed too. He had wanted to be her first, her one and only. Damn it.

It was 'Okay' he told himself, she was young. Butch was exciting, that's all. She was going for that 'bad boy' thing all girls went for. He'd break her heart or she'd realize there was no real future with Butch. She was smart. She'd see that give it some time.

He thought about telling James, but decided against it. He didn't want to be the 'other' guardian, the 'other' father figure. He wanted to be a friend to Jolene and telling James was no way to do that. No, he decided he would do his best to wait, it wouldn't be much longer.

* * *

Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed. I know this was a short update but I wanted to keep the next two chapters together...they just work better that way.  
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen: Finally 18**

Jolene's eighteenth birthday party was winding down. She sat with Amata, foreheads practically touching in deep 'girl' conversation when her dad approached.

"I hope you had a wonderful party sweetheart."

"I did daddy and thank you for the necklace, the locket is beautiful."

"Your mother would want you to have it."

Jolene came around and gave her father a loving hug.

"My little girl is all grown up. " He smiled proudly at her. "You're going to be a wonderful doctor. Now if we could only work on a husband." He winked at Amata. "I might need Amata's help with that."

"Dad!"

They laughed

"Work calls dear. Happy Birthday honey," He squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek goodbye.

The girls watched him go.

"I guess your dad isn't so bad."

"No, not when he's around."

They saw James wave to Jonas on his way out. Jonas was speaking to his brother and mother as his brother wheeled their mom toward the exit.

"Well it looks like someone stuck around to talk to you." Amata nodded to Jonas. They watched him say goodbye to his family. "I'm going to make myself scarce."

"Amata, no!" Jolene practically squeezed Amata's hand off

"Oh no, I'll see you later." She hugged her friend and said bye to Jonas as she left.

He waved back, "Bye Amata." he looked at her gratefully. Jonas approached Jolene, "Can we walk?" he motioned toward the door.

She shook her head in agreement. She felt uneasy. What was Jonas going to say to her? She had no reason not to trust him so she went along. He led the way toward the Service level, at this hour it would have little foot traffic.

"Did you like your party?"

"Yes, it was nice of everyone to come. I may even miss them."

"You know, there is no one stopping you from having future birthday parties. They just won't be organized by the committee now that you're eighteen."

"I know. Maybe I'll have a small one next year or maybe one every five years."

"Will you invite me?"

"Of course, silly," She nudged him with her shoulder as they walked.

"Well I had to ask."

They walked in silence a distance. The corridors were not brightly lit at this hour. They turned a quiet corner and she was about to say something, when...

"Jolene...you know we spend a lot of hours together day in and day out, and ..." He stopped her, touching her arm gently and turning her to him. "I wanted to give you something for your birthday. I know it's not as pretty as what your father gave you..."

"Jonas you don't have to give me anything." She touched his hand that was reaching into his pocket.

"I know I don't." He pulled his hand out closed around something, "but I want to."

"You really didn't...there's no need."

"Shhh," He placed a finger over her lips and took a step closer. She stepped back and bumped into the wall. He took his free hand and opened hers placing a metal object in it. "I had one of the girls make it. She is really pretty good."

It was a very delicate bracelet made from tiny pieces of old jewelry and colorful electronic parts. There were even a few that dangled and sparkled. It was homey, but she was touched more by the gesture he had made.

"Jonas it's..."

"I know it's not much, but I wanted to give you something."

"It's really nice. Thank you. Will you help me put it on?"

"You like it?"

"Uh huh."

He wrapped it around her slender wrist and clasped it into place.

"I know your father isn't thrilled with the idea of me liking you." He looked directly at her now and brushed a hair behind her ear, "but you're eighteen now and you can see anyone you like."

She stared back at him with suspicious wonder, what was he trying to say? Meeting his eyes, she saw a tranquil gaze. How could he be so calm while she felt electric? "You...you like me?"

He shook his head slowly. "Yes Jolene. I really like you"

He still had a hand on her neck. He was so close. She was afraid he might kiss her. Then what?

"I understand if you need some time to process this. I know it's a lot to deal with and I wouldn't have told you if I didn't feel so strongly towards you."

"You _really_ like me?"

"Yes," and he pulled her in. She closed her eyes fearing he was going for it. What should she do? Then his lips touched her forehead before he wrapped his arms around her holding her close. "I care for you very much."

Her heart was racing. He didn't kiss her. She relaxed a little and hugged him back. Jolene wasn't sure she was ready for a kiss. "I...I don't know what to say." She pulled away from him.

"You don't have to say anything. I simply wanted you to know how I feel about you."

"You don't want?..."

"I only want what you want. I just need you to know that I am here for you."

"Okay" she looked at him, puzzled yet relieved.

"Good." He smiled at her. "Can I walk you home?


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen: Wrong Place, Wrong Time**

Butch saw the whole thing.

He had been waiting patiently for her party to end. He wanted to surprise her with a trip to Security's shooting range. She had pouted that whole night when he had told her the Tunnel Snakes were given access to it because the whole radroach idea had gone over so well. Old Al had reluctantly granted them access to it so they could practice. The access to the guns was strictly enforced but not so much that Wally's dad wouldn't miss one tonight.

So Butch waited for the party to end and for Jo to leave. He hadn't expected to see her leave with Jonas.

He told himself it was just an innocent walk home, until they took a wrong turn. This was not a direct route to the clinic.

She was looking awfully friendly with him. What was this man to her? They did spend an awful amount of time together, maybe this wasn't new. Nah, she'd been a virgin, this puke was trying to make a move.  
He watched as they turned a corner. He lost them for a few seconds then in a couple of quiet steps he had them back in sight.

_What the Fuck? _He felt his hand tighten around the gun in his pocket. She was against the wall and he was handing her something and now he was touching her! It took all of Butch's strength to not pull the gun out and shoot him.  
_Why wasn't she rejecting any of this fucks advances?_Butch hated the way he was looking at her_, touching_ her. Jonas started to pull closer to her and Butch tensed every fiber, ready to explode if the ass wipe kissed her. But no, it turned into a simple peck on the head and a hug, not that Butch was okay with it.  
_  
_They were walking away now. He sprung a little too quickly from his vantage point then paused. His heart was racing, he needed to calm down before continuing otherwise...watching them again he saw Jonas' hand slide down Jolene's back and come to rest at the small of it, caressing it there.

'Fuck it.' He cursed under his breath.

He was pulling Jonas' arm away in a matter of seconds then sailing a right cross to his face sending Jonas to the floor. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!" he growled pointing at Jonas.

Jolene was started by the sudden appearance of Butch and then Jonas on the floor.

"Come here Jo."

She stood between them her hands to her face in shock.

Jonas sat rubbing his jaw, glaring at Butch. "You don't have to go with him."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP or I swear I'll beat you where you lay you slimy FUCK!" He wanted nothing more that to pull the 10mm out and shove it down his throat but if Jonas reported this..."Jo, let's go."

She walked to him, dazed "Butch?"

He took her arm and ripped the bracelet off throwing it down on Jonas. "She doesn't want your fucking present either!"

Holding her hand they took off. Jolene looked back at Jonas anxiously as they rounded the corner.

Entering the stairs to the lower levels, Butch was in such a fury he stumbled and nearly pulled Jolene down on top of him.

"Butch...Butch stop...Stop!" She jerked her hand from his, "What is going on?"

He paced and pulled his hand through his hair, "Couldn't you see? That bastard was making a move on you. Argggg!" He smacked the wall with both fists. "I wanted to kill that fuck!"

"Jonas is harmless. I've known him all my life."

"The hell he is. Damn smooth bastard."

"You were crazy to hit him. What if he reports it or better yet tells my dad?"

Butch laughed, "You think he led you down a deserted hallway so he could announce to the vault he wants to...to... you?" He flailed his arm frustrated. "He certainly could've given you his gift at the party." Calming down now, he saw the worried look on her face and pulled her to him.  
"I got crazy when he was touching you. I know it was probably not the best idea but he... needed to know you're mine."

"Butch he...Jonas, he didn't mean any harm."

Another snicker from Butch. He squeezed her tightly, holding her close a few moments.

Quietly he whispered, "I have a Birthday Surprise for you."

"You do?"

He pulled away from her a little but didn't let go "Uh huh, but you have to kiss me first."

Happy to oblige, she smiled up at him and planted a deep wet kiss on his lips.

"Mmmmm, now we need to go before it gets too late."

* * *

It will probably be two weeks before my next update...college class and work and wanting to get the ending just right. Thanks for reading and reviewing.


	18. Chapter 18

Ok, I know I said I might miss a week of posting but surprise! We were slow at work and depending on who you are that was either good or bad.  
So not only am I posting but I posted a chapter early, wonders never cease.  
I have another one almost ready to go after this...maybe tomorrow or this weekend sometime.  
In the mean time enjoy and don't be too hard on Jo she's young and mostly innocent. :)  
Please REVIEW REVIEW REVEIW!

**Chapter Eighteen: Down but not Out**

The gun went off with a loud 'BANG' in her hands. The bullet met its mark, as always. She smiled a self satisfying grin.

'BANG, BANG, BANG!'

She looked around thinking she would see Butch standing next to her firing his gun instead it was her father and he was shouting.

"Jolene!"

What was he doing here at the shooting range and where was Butch?

James shook his daughter from the dream, "Hey honey wake up."

"Dad?...wha?" She squinted her eyes from the light he'd just turned on.

"Jonas messaged me. He said he wasn't feeling well and asked me to watch the clinic."  
Getting up from the bed he walked back toward her door and stopped. "So I need you to get up. I have to get back to my study."

"Ohhh…"

"Jolene," with a more stern fatherly voice, "Get. Up."

"Okay, okay."

She swung her legs to the floor and rubbed her eyes with bunched up fists as her dad left, letting the door close behind him. She thought about Jonas' altercation with Butch last night and wondered if this 'illness' had anything to do with him not being in today. By her father's demeanor she assumed Jonas hadn't said anything to him. Thank the Powers.

She let the hot water from the shower pulse on her back while she thought about what she was going to do now that Jonas had proclaimed his feelings toward her.  
The first question she asked herself was: How did she feel about him? That was a hard one. She had on several occasions fantasized about 'doing him' either at the BB gun range or right there in the clinic. Were they anything other than fantasy or had she simply dismissed them because of their age difference?

He had been a constant in her life from as far back as she could remember. Had she simply taken his presence for granted? She hadn't found herself fantasizing about him since Butch though.  
The second question was: Did she like that he liked her? She did like the attention he was giving her last night. Although, when she thought he was going to kiss her she wasn't so sure she was ready for that. Things had been moving too fast. She was glad he simply kissed her forehead and hugged her. She thought it kind of him not to press her too hard.

But she also cared for Butch.

"Damn it!" She smacked the water off.

If she wasn't seeing Butch right now she would date Jonas but she didn't want to hurt Butch. She found herself caring for him more every day.

It was so sweet of him to sneak them into the Security's range and let her shoot. She grinned devilishly to herself thinking about the game they had played. They took turns shooting and every time they missed the bulls-eye, they had to take off a piece of clothing. She really enjoyed how they had tried to distract each other in the process.

She didn't want to hurt Butch but she didn't want to hurt Jonas either. She sighed as she entered the clinic.

"Finally." Her father got up and kissed her cheek as he passed her heading toward the door. "I checked the schedule, you have a patient in about ten minutes. If you get busy I'm just down the hall." The door close and he was gone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen the Amazing Disappearing Father," she made the sound of a roaring crowd.

Since there were no patients right this second she decided to check the messages on her Pip-Boy. There was one from Amata wanting to know how things went last night. Boy was she in for an earful. There was one from Butch telling her how much he enjoyed last night and wanted to know when they could see each other again.

Then there was one from Jonas; 'I'm not really sick. I would like it if you stopped by later. I wish we could talk. I understand if you are a little apprehensive. I didn't think I should leave my room with my face all swollen today. Please say yes.'

Shit.

He _was_ hiding out because of last night. Butch did nail him pretty good. She smiled thinking of him coming to her rescue, and then scolded herself, Jonas was really hurt.

She wasn't sure about this. She had never been to a man's home alone before. Jolene felt odd about it but this was Jonas. She trusted him right?

She messaged him back, "I'll be there soon after we close."

~~oOo~~

Everything about this visit felt strange. Jonas was no longer just an older mentor she looked up to and occasionally fantasized about. After last night he'd become a man available and interested in becoming much more than a teacher of medicine. Had she been looking at him in the wrong light all these years?

Butch would not like this. She told herself. It's not like I am going over there to sleep with him, we're simply two adults enjoying each other's company. Still she'd feel better after she was inside his quarters.

She knocked, "Jonas, it's me." She could hear movement then the door opened.

"Jolene, please come in."

She saw his face right away, "Oh Jonas, I'm so sorry." She reached out and took it gently into her hands as the door closed behind her.

"Please, it looks worse than it is." Still he liked her touching him.

"Did you put ice on it? Have you used any stimpaks?"

"Yes and no." He took her hands into his and led her into the kitchen. "It really didn't require any stimpaks." Truth be told he almost had, but then he wouldn't have her here with him now, would he?

In the kitchen he had a small table set for two. "I thought we could talk over dinner. I hope you don't mind. I just figured I have to eat, you have to eat. I can't very well go out to the cafeteria and I had a few supplies here."

She was surprised and flattered. "This is fine Jonas, really." She seated herself as he served up their meal.

It was rare that she ate anything home cooked. They still had cans of food at home and she'd seen her father come out and grab a bite from them now and then. She almost always ate at the cafeteria with Amata.

"Mmmm, this is really good."

He smiled at her even though it hurt his face little. "I'm glad you like it."

She saw him flinch when he opened his mouth to eat. "Jonas I'm sorry Butch over reacted and attacked you last night."

"You need to stop apologizing this wasn't your fault." He chewed his food slowly and watched her quietly eat hers. "Seeing as we are friends, I would like permission to ask a question I really have no business asking."

She looked up at him curious, "Of course, you can ask me anything."

He moved to get comfortable in his chair. "Please tell me what it is you see in him." He watched her face light up and felt a sharp pain in his chest knowing that the thought of Butch made her smile like that.

"I don't know, at first I was surprised that he was even interested in me. Then I guess it was the whole 'bad boy' thing. He amazes me the more I get to know him. He's smart; he knows tech stuff real well. He's sweet, funny, romantic, a great kisser…"

Jonas cleared his throat, "Um, I'd rather not know that about him if that's okay?"

She blushed and giggled, "Sorry."  
_  
Shit, he makes her blush. _"You haven't forgotten he's a criminal and spent time in the Core, have you?"

"First of all, have you forgotten so am I? He also purposefully got himself sent to the Core because he was worried about me."

"He told you this?" He looked doubtfully at her.

"Yes, and I believe him. I hope you didn't want to spend dinner telling me how awful Butch is, because if that was your plan I'm leaving. I mean I'm sorry he hit you but you have to look at it from his point of view. You…were a little friendly in the hall and he didn't like it." She watched, waiting for him to respond.

"I'm sorry Jolene I didn't mean for the conversation to get you so upset." He sighed; she was certainly smitten by him. "I'm a little jealous I apologize. I would just love to be dating you right now."

"Jonas." She blushed.

Well at least he could make her blood run too. "I know your father might have a problem with it but, and I'm sorry for being blunt, that didn't seem to stop you from running with Butch."

"I didn't plan Butch. This is different we work together, what if he noticed?"

"How often is he really around Jolene?" He reached across the table and took her hand. "I would feel like the luckiest man alive if you could see me as more than just a friend and co-worker." He brushed his thumb lightly back and forth across her hand.

"I do see you as more than a friend Jonas. I don't know, maybe if you had approached me before Butch…I would have been more…_available_? I am attracted to you. Can you just give me some time to think about this?" She placed her hand on top of his and looked at him warmly.

What the hell, he's waited this long. "Sure."

Before the night was over she had asked for his bracelet back. He was pleasantly surprised by her request and said he would get it fixed for her before he returned it. He desperately wanted to kiss her when she left but didn't want to press his luck. He was making progress he told himself, it was painfully slow but it was still something.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen: Alphonse the Great**

Alphonse held himself at the precipice of ecstasy. He was near to bursting. Officer Allen Park could really suck a cock. He ran his hands through Allen's black hair grabbing a handful of it at the back of his head. He thrust hard into him.

Allen moaned, his fingers digging into Al's ass harder.

_Almost. Almost. _The Overseer stumbled back into his desk. _That's it, take it all. yeah. _"Over the desk," Alphonse ordered breathlessly.

Officer Park responded immediately, eager to please his Overseer.

Alphonse loved fucking in his office. This was his seat of power. This was where he ruled. Al latched onto Parks hips as if he were a starved wolf latching onto its prey.

Park tugged franticly at his own hard on and moaned loudly.

"Come...on...my desk...and you're fucking licking...it off."

"But...I...oh God this feels so good...please."

Al leaned over him reaching Park's shirt on the desk. "Use... this." he thrust hard as he spoke enunciation his words.

"Oh yes...yes...yessss." Park slumped against the Overseer's desk.

_Weak Fuck, never lasts.  
_  
Al continued until he too could no longer hold out. He got off and grabbed Park's shirt. Al wiped himself off then sat down on his chair tossing the shirt back to Park. He sighed in satisfaction as he watched Park pull himself back together. He had enjoyed the hell out of that.

"Same time next week?" Park asked hopefully on his way out.

"Yeah, and don't forget your fucking baton next time." He called as Park left his sanctuary.

The Overseer swiveled in his big leather chair and looked out through the round tinted window at the Vault. His Vault. He had just about everything a man could desire down here, all his needs were satisfied.

All but one that is.

One that had been nagging at him more persistently lately. Maybe it was his age, maybe it was watching Amata become a young woman and maybe it was even Butch.

Butch.

That arrogant young punk, who was smart as a whip, sly as a fox and would probably stab him in the back if he thought he could get away with it. As much as Al hated him he was just as proud of the little hard-ass, but he wasn't his. Al wanted a son and he sure as hell wasn't going to get one fucking Officer Park.

He got up and walked his moist body to the cold storage and grabbed a beer. He opened it and took a long drink before heading back to his chair. The air felt good against his hot skin.

Al had thought about this a long time. He knew what he wanted to do was risky, knew it went against keeping the gene population diverse, but hell, wouldn't we all be fucking our cousins down here eventually?

He needed a son to carry on his blood. He needed to know it didn't end with him. He wasn't going to waste time on some cunt hoping she would eventually spit one out for him. No, Al wanted just the boy and only the right boy. That was the other problem; you didn't know how they'd turn out until they were like twelve or something. So he couldn't pin all his hopes on just one boy.

He couldn't do this without someone from the clinic to assist and what he wanted done would go against most of their morals. So he would need to find someone who could be properly motivated.

Leaning back in his chair he downed the cold drink. When he looked at the empty bottle he thought about Butch and his damn Tunnel Snakes. They were the reason he sat beset in all this comfort. Al did not kid himself though, he chuckled, "the 'Tunnel Snakes' what an appropriate name." When he set the Snakes in motion he had to be careful they didn't come back to bite him.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty: Sssssss**

It was time for a pick up.

Once a month, Alphonse traipsed down to The Bottom with several guards to gather up all the liquor that was ready for distribution.

Butch stood aside from the rush, making updates on his data pad as Paul directed traffic. Several Tunnel Snakes were packing boxes, checking the counts and separating the different blends.

He heard the door clack open, Al and his goons walked in and Butch watched as Al gave directions to his right hand man Security Chief Paul Hannon Sr. Paul spoke with his son, Butch's right hand man Paul Hannon Jr., as they coordinated the moving of the booze to the upper level. The irony of it didn't escape Butch.

Butch felt his blood pressure rise as Al walked toward him away from the bustle. From the beginning Al had stipulated that their meetings be out of earshot but never out of site and he never failed to have a goon standing by.

Butch had never been outright aggressive toward the man, even though while they spoke he would fantasize of all the ways he could eliminate him, so he wondered why Al felt the need to be so precautious. Maybe it was Butch's charming personality.

"Evening," Al greeted him with an outstretched hand.

"Evening," Butch handed the data pad to Al and crossed his arms over his broad chest, leather jacket creaking. He rolled a data pad stylus in his mouth back and forth with his tongue.

Al flipped through the information on the screens trying to focus. He hated these meetings. Hated the way this 'boy' made him feel. Yes, he was only a boy. He reminded himself of the times he'd smacked this boy's bare ass for fun.

So why did he feel intimidated? Could it be because he stood nearly two inches taller than him without the hair and outweighed him by probably twenty pounds?  
Only a boy.

He cleared his throat, "Any problems with Mrs. Horowitz? She's happy with the service you're providing?"

Butch took the stylus in his hand. "She thinks were scum but what's she going to do about it? She needs those radroaches kept under control." He kept his voice monotone. He rocked back and forth once on his feet and placed the stylus back in. He would love to jam it into Al's soft temple.

Al pulled his eyes from the impressive figure Butch cut into the air. He's manners were relaxed but his eyes piercing. He wondered what Butch would do alone in a room with him? Al imagined what he would like him to do… NO. He wouldn't allow himself that fantasy. Butch was dangerous. Can't let your guard down.

He tapped out next month's order quickly and placed his stylus back into his pocket. He handed the data pad back to Butch and watched as he went over the order as if it had to meet _his_ approval.

Butch had organized this little franchise quite well. He kept track of everything. Al had to stop himself from smiling with pride.

Dangerous.

"Cigarettes." He blurted this out as if he'd been asked a question and wanted to be the first to answer.

Butch looked up slowly. He had hoped he'd simply missed the sound of Al walking away but nope, he was still here and he looked like he wanted to chat. He had his finger tapping his lips as if he could squeeze an idea of his own out between his ears.

"Cigarettes," Butch repeated.

"Yes. It has occurred to me that there is a need for cigarettes as well as booze and I want to explore this idea."

"We have no tobacco plants." Butch had already explored this idea. He was bored and wanted Al to leave.

"Yes but there may be other...plants we can look at."

"I've looked into this and didn't see it become productive." This was a waste of his time. He did his best to not look annoyed and went back to the Pad.

Al's mood shifted instantly.

Butch knew better than to dismiss Al's idea. He should've entertained it for a few sentences at least, making Al feel like he'd come upon a fabulous idea. Fuck it, this meeting should've been over already and it was getting harder to maintain his charming, calm demeanor.

Al stepped closer to him, glared at him over his steepled fingers and spoke quietly. "If I want something explored, you will do it to its full extent and get back to me with every bloody drop of detail."

Butch's hand clenched around the data pad his knuckles turning white. He was wishing it were Al's neck instead.

Al didn't like to put Butch in his place, it only fueled Butch's hatred toward him, but he was the ruling Overseer and he would be obeyed.

Their eyes locked. Al seeing Butch's contained fury and Butch seeing the euphoric high Al's power gave him.

"Are we clear?" Al chimed, he was buzzing now.

If only that guard wasn't watching with his hand on the butt of his gun, Butch thought. Then what? Security Chief Hannon as Overseer? Like that would be any better. No. It was too early. He needed to wait.

"Yes" Butch growled threw his teeth.

"Fine then" Al stepped back and brushed his hands over his jumpsuit like he'd just recovered from a school yard brawl. He started to walk away then turned back, pointing at Butch, "I also need an extensive flossing of everyone on the med team."

Butch couldn't hide the shocked disquieted expression from swimming across his face. He was thankful Al was no longer grilling him with his eyes. Instead he was still mid turn staring across the storage bay at nothing in particular.

"I need to know all their deep dark secrets," he almost rubbed his hands together maniacally. "Dig deep, if I feel you haven't done a thorough job...He fixed his gaze on Butch again, "Well I am the Overseer after all and you're the leader of a law braking gang."

Butch didn't trust himself to move. He stood like a statue as he watched Al collect his guard and shoo everyone out through the big door. Even after it closed he counted two whole minutes before moving.

Fuck.

He stormed over to Paul and smacked the pad against his chest.

"Owe! Hey!" Paul looked at him surprised

"Take it. I have to hit the gym. We'll talk later."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One: Digging for Skeletons**

When the Overseer had 'requested' that the medical staff be turned inside-out Butch got a knot in his stomach. What was Al up to? He hated snooping around Jo's past without her knowing. He thought of telling her but didn't want her to worry about Al's interest.

The next day he and Paul got to work on the digging.

Luckily the only things to find on Jo were the BB gun, her make shift shooting range and the night hunts of radroaches. All of which came out during the shooting incident which she had already served time for. After that she was dark. The Security Vids only picked her up here and there, and only when she was in the company of someone with a working tracker chip. Since they'd been 'visiting' he'd been careful to erase any vids with them together.

Things got weird when he couldn't find any record of her birth. He checked other's her age to see if maybe there had been a corrupted file erased or misplaced but everyone was there, just not Jo.

There was also no information on her mother. No birth record, no death record, no marriage record, nothing. All they could find was her name …Catherine.

When they started looking into her father he began to think something shady was going on. There'd been nothing on him until almost nineteen years ago when he just appeared out of nowhere. About the time Jo was born. It was like his whole past before that was erased, gone. He dug deeper to find cryptic notes on his personal about some project that he went to a lot of trouble encrypting.

Was he working on something for the Overseer? What was the significance of Jo's birth? What the fuck was going on?

Looking into Jonas' past was a piece of cake and almost boring. Almost. He of course was involved in supplying Jo with the range and the BB gun but he also rigged the G.O.A.T. test. Seems he wanted to be sure Jo ended up in the clinic, like that wasn't going to happen anyway.

Then there were the pictures.

Paul was usually up to date on the latest porn, what with his little fetish and all, but these were new. Or maybe they were just here, on Jonas' personal and no one else's.

Weird.

Who had he gotten these from? How could he keep these from circulating? They were obviously taken by a security camera from the Core.

Fuck. Those were supposed to be off-line.

"Do a thorough search Paul. I need to be sure I'm not in any of these."

Who did he get to take these? Did they keep a copy for themselves? Hell he would have, she was hot.

Two days later Paul tells him they found something. It was a vid of Jo and Butch that first time in the Core.

"The Core security camera feeds were wiped clean. We got it off a drive in Jonas' personal. He hasn't downloaded it to anything else."

"So some security goon took the stills and recorded this for Jonas, then wiped the feed to cover his tracks. I bet Jonas paid something for these too but what? We don't know who made the original vid or how many other copies there are."

"Nope."

"Fuck."

"We're doing a vault search of all the personals with the face detector software. It will scan all the images on their drives. We'll have a lot of shit but we will get it all, unless who ever has it kept it on their Pip-Boy. You know we can't jack into the Pib-Boys unless they wire in for a hard update."

"Yeah, yeah, corrupt what you find, all of it, Jonas' too, fucking pervert."

"He sure has it bad for your Jo, huh?"

"I should beat the fuck out of him."

" Are you going to tell her?"

"Hell no. This whole research has opened up some very weird shit I've never seen before."

"What do we take to our Almighty?"

"Let me know what you find and where. Then we'll decide."


	22. Chapter 22

Work was a bitch today so I only have one to post tonight. I have two more short ones lined up to go this weekend. I just need to get some things done in the real world first.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to review. I know there are readers out there that don't speak up. I hope you are enjoying the ride.

**Chapter 22: The Search Begins**

James had finally figured out what his project had been missing. He also found out that it was located in one of the vaults. He needed to be sure it wasn't in this one before he left in search of it at another.

He started his late night jaunts not long ago. He first checked the most likely areas, when that produced nothing he decided he would need to do it floor by floor. He was determined to systematically eliminate all corners of the vault.

Starting at The Bottom and working his way up seemed the most logical way.

He had never come down this far before. The stairs were the only access without a security or maintenance key for the large freight elevators. He imagined this part of the vault when it first was occupied would have been busy with people; moving supplies, accounting for inventory, security. Above the storage level was a large machine shop and tech lab. There would have been noise and people traffic from both locations. Vault Tec had seemed to have thought of everything. But now, several hundred years later with the vault population half what it used to be, this area of the vault was deserted.

So when he stepped out from the stairwell he'd been surprised to hear laughter. Quickly he dove back into the stairwell for cover. He looked around frantic, there was nowhere to hide if the door was opened.  
Turning he was about to hurry up the stairs when he heard;

"No not here in the hall."

was that...?

"There's no one around Jo. I sent them away."

...Jolene?

a squeal, "Butch" laughter.

Stopping his assent, he dared to press himself against the door straining to hear.

Kissing, he could hear kissing. Should he open the door?

"Hey where do you think you are going?"

"Oh, I'm just going to drop off some plants with Cal."

The door jerked. James jumped to the side.

"Is Butch going to try and stop me?"

It was her alright. What was she doing here? She was supposed to be in their quarters sleeping. The door started to open and he froze. What should he do? He watched as a hand came down over hers, the arm was covered in a leather jacket.

"I'll let you go if you kiss me."

The door pulled shut. He heard them embrace. His daughter and Butch, It can't be.

There was more commotion against the door. He slowly moved away up the stairs. She's in her bed. She has to be. Operating his Pip-Boy he scrolled through the map looking for her signal.

She wasn't there.

She wasn't anywhere.

Quickly he ascended. She must be in her bed. There was a simple explanation for all of this.

When he reached their quarters he was out of breath. Hurrying in, he paused outside her door. Did he really want to know?

He opened the door quietly. He didn't want to wake her. What would he tell her if he did?

Light from the hall draped across the room hitting the bed. Was she there? He couldn't be sure. He stepped in. Reaching the bed he could see it was empty. He looked toward the bathroom, no light coming from it.

"Lights on" the room bathed in it.

She wasn't here.

He plopped on the bed and immediately went for his Pip-Boy to call her, to shout some sense into her. How could she be running around with the likes of Butch? He would order her home for a decent berating.

No, wait. She was a teenager. If he forbade her to see Butch, she would just be drawn to him more. What could a father do? "Oh Catherine, if only you were here." He rubbed his face with a hand. Then again if she were alive they probably would have stayed at Project Purity. Hell, he was getting ready to leave himself. He wouldn't be here to help her make these decisions. He wouldn't be around to watch over her, but there was someone whom he trusted that wanted the job very much.

He hated to do it. He had wanted his daughter to grow old with someone, not have to care for them as they aged before her eyes. James felt better knowing Jonas would be there for her. He tapped out a message on his Boy. As he pressed send he spoke aloud, "I can't be here for you forever honey."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23: Permission and Revelation **

The chime on his Pip-Boy awakened Jonas. Groggily he pulled his arm over to read it. It was from James. He hoped everything was okay.

He couldn't believe what he was reading. James was giving him permission to pursue his daughter, now at two am in the morning. What had happened? Where was James now? Jonas switched modes. There he was in her room. He just bet Jolene was nowhere to be found. She was out again, probably with that Butch kid.

'I'm coming over' Jonas pressed send and started getting into his jumpsuit.

His Pip-Boy dinged, 'No I'll come there.'

~~oOo~~

"She's seeing that Tunnel Snake kid, Butch." James said swinging back the beer Jonas had offered. He looked drawn and defeated.

"I knew she was seeing someone. She was always gone and that damn tracker of hers has been broken for months." They sat at the small round metal table in his little kitchen.

"I should have known when he came around that time during the Core that he was trouble, but she told me he wasn't. I had no reason not to believe her." Another swig, "maybe if I had paid more attention."

"He probably wasn't trouble, not then." Jonas tried to reassure his friend.

"I blame myself. It all goes back to that damn BB gun."

"If that's the case, then I'm just as guilty."

"You of all people are the least to blame. I think you care for her more than anyone at this point. I realize that now. She doesn't need a father's love any longer." He sighed heavily, "If only Catherine were here."

"You shouldn't be going there James. You did what was best for your daughter, are still doing what's best." Jonas was thrilled to have been given the go ahead. James was essentially handing her to him. He did his best to hide his excitement while comforting his friend.

They sat in silence finishing off their drinks.

"Want another?" Jonas stood to fetch them.

"Sure."

Jonas sat and passed James his drink. He looked over at his friend trying to judge his mood. To his surprise a smile spread across his lips.

James spoke excitedly, "I know what it's missing Jonas. I've spent so much time on it and I've finally figured out what it needs."

Jonas, a little exasperated with James' obsession spoke directly, "Not that damn project again? James you're consumed by it. Day and night in your study..."

"I've got to finish this. It's all I have left of her. Either way if I find it or not I will be leaving."

"Leaving!" Jonas nearly choked on his drink. "James are you out of your mind? You're lucky you got in and now you think Alphonse is simply going to let you leave?" He wiped his hand across his chin drying the beer there. "Do you have any idea what that will do to the vault? Your arrival was barely contained with all the questions everyone had for you. If you hadn't agreed and stuck to that cover story Alphonse would have left you and your daughter out in the wastes."

"I got lucky, I know. The vault was in dire need for a doctor." He shook his head, "I can't let this go, besides, Al will have you and Jolene to continue taking care of everyone. I have to do this Jonas and before I go I need to know that you'll watch over my daughter. I risked coming here for her and I need to know you'll keep her safe."

"I think you're out of your mind. Can't you simply let it be James? It's madness you thinking about leaving..."

"Damn it Jonas!" he slammed his beer on the table, "I...I need to do this. Just promise me you'll take care of my little girl."

Jonas shook his head in disbelief then, "It goes without saying. Of course I'll look after her, I promise. But if you're really leaving, your daughter's well being is the least of your worries."

James stood and tossed back his drink, "Thanks for being a good friend. It's best if you know as little about my plan as possible so you're not implicated in anything." He set his bottle down and walked out.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four: Just a Taste**

A couple of nights later, while Jonas and Jolene were finishing up for the day, Stanley walked in carrying his tool chest.

"Well I feel kinda awkward making house calls at the Doc's office. Shouldn't this be the other way around?" He announced jokingly to the room.

Jonas stood and greeted Stanley with a shake of his hand. "Thanks for coming, we get so busy and..."

"Say no more. Let's get down to business"

Turning they walked up to Jolene's desk. She'd been watching, eyeing them suspiciously, "Um, what's going on here?"

"It's your Boy," Stanley points to her arm. "Jonas here messaged me, told me how you all get so busy and I figured a quick stop on the way home wouldn't hurt a thing."

"My Pib-Boy?"

"Your tracker's out, remember?" Jonas gave her a knowing look.

"Oh yeah, my tracker." Jolene started taking it off. "It's the silliest thing, just up and stopped working." Handing it to Stanley she gave Jonas a glare behind Stanley's back.

"Now this should only take a sec. You don't mind if I use one of these beds here do you?"

"No, go right ahead." Jonas gestured toward the nearest one.

"This is such an ironic turn. Me here making a house call using the bed to 'examine' the patient. Kinda funny don't you think?" He looked up at both of them. They each gave a forced friendly smile in return.

Jolene came around her desk and leaned back on it crossing her arms. She tried to look like this wasn't bothering her.

Jonas knew she was upset. He hoped he could smooth this over.

A few minutes of Stanley talking, more to himself than to them as he worked, then…

"There! All set, good as new. Here let's give it a go shall we?" He presented it to Jolene and she proceeded to put it back on.

Stanley and Jonas both activated their tracker modes to make sure they could see it working properly.

They both thanked Stanley for making the stop. When he left Jolene quickly headed back toward her desk. Jonas snagged her hand before she could get far. He turned her to him.

"Jolene I know you're angry..."

"Angry, why would I be angry?" She faced him with a blank stare.

"I know you don't like it, but your father insisted. He knows about you dating Butch and I'm simply worried."

"Dad knows? How?"

"That's not important, what you need to know is I'm here for you if you need me." He took her other hand and stepped closer.

"If he knows how come he is not out here telling me things like 'Butch is not good enough for you', 'You could do better than him.'?"

"Like me?" he smiled at her.

She gave him an exasperated look.

"He isn't berating you because he has given me permission to...how can I say it...woo you?" He placed his hand behind her ear caressing her face with his thumb. "He understands how I feel about you and knows I only have your best interest at heart." Jonas spoke in almost a whisper, pulling her in for a taste. He kissed her then. It was a soft kiss, tender; he didn't want to force this.

As they separated she looked up at him, shocked surprised spread across her face.

She tasted so sweet. It was so hard to let her go.

"Jonas I...I don't know what to say?"

"You don't have to say anything." He watched her fumble. She was so beautiful.

"My father...?"

"Wants you to choose wisely." He smiled devilishly at her.

"He doesn't care if you...?"

Jonas shook his head. He took her hand again and brushed her hair over her ear. "I want to kiss you again. Can I kiss you again Jolene?"

She was so confused. What was happening? Her heart was beating so fast, Jonas was so close. Did she want him to stop?

Jonas took a chance and moved in again. His kiss started off tender but grew with his hunger for her. He pulled her close wrapping his arms around her; her breast pressing against his chest his hardness aching between them. He started kissing down her neck his right hand finding her breast and squeezing."Oh Jolene" he gasps.

"Jonas" She was backing up trying to get away. She bumped the desk.

He pressed against her and grabbed her ass. She pushed him back with both hands. "Jonas, No. NO!"

He let go and backed off, "I...I'm sorry I..." He fumbled with his clothing as he backed away.

"I...I just need some time to think." She stood slowly from her desk.

"I understand I just ..."

"I'm just going call it a night okay?" She scooted across the front of her desk and backed toward the door, not sure what to think about Jonas' strong approach tonight.

"Jolene, I'm sorry. Please." He reached a hand to her. In his hand was the bracelet he promised to get fixed.

Seeing that Jonas was truly sorry, she took the gift and came forward to hug him.

"Thank you Jonas." She relax in his arms after a moment, feeling more at ease with him.

"Can we finish out the night together?"

"Yes Jonas, I'm sorry I...I just need some time and you were a bit...forward."

"I know, I'm sorry, I…I've been in love with you for so long and with your father's permission I…I'm sorry. I got a little carried away. You take all the time you need okay?"

"Thank you, Jonas."

"Can we maybe schedule a date or something?" he asked hopefully. "We could see a movie or I could cook for you again."

"I'm not sure I'm ready to do that yet. Let's take it slow."

"No more kissing?" he asked playfully.

"No, no more kissing."

"I meant what I said Jolene, you take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

She needed to think seriously about this. If her father thought Jonas was right for her maybe she was making a mistake with Butch. He was her first and only. Maybe what she felt wasn't love, maybe she was confusing lust for love. She had feelings for Jonas now, before sex. Her feelings for Butch came after the sex. She was so confused.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: Alphonse's Plan**

Jonas checked his personal again just to be sure he read the message correctly. Why would the Overseer want to see him? He'd gotten a message that simply stated:  
'The Overseer requires an audience with you. Come at once.'  
Like a king summing his subject.

The guard outside the Overseer's chambers permitted him entry, after a pat down, of all things. Did the Overseer have death threats?

"Jonas!" The Overseer announced coming around his desk to shake his hand. "Glad you could make it. Won't you have a seat?" He gestured to the one in front as he sat down behind his desk. "Would you like something to drink?"

Jonas shook his head, "No thank you, sir." He sat up in the chair anxious to find out the reason for his visit.

"How is everything going down at the clinic?"

Jonas cleared his throat nervously, wondering what the Overseer wanted to know. Daily reports were sent to his office, but he was sure not all of them were read by him personally.

"Um…" he began apprehensively, "the day to day activities are running well. We have a few cases of what I would consider mild depression. I have seen a rise in liver related problems." He perked up at this thought, "I was wondering if you had a chance to look over my thoughts of implementing a required exercise routine. I think we would see some moods lifted and less restless behavior. See with a large part of our population…"

"How is Mrs. Cole?"

"Mrs. Cole? A…well she is due any day. She has taken my suggestion of walking a little each day."

"And the baby?"

"All of the tests come back good."

"How many women of child bearing age would you say we have in the vault?"

"Child bearing age, sir?" Jonas was completely lost with this line of questioning.

"Yes Jonas. In your medical opinion what would you say is a healthy age range to have a child?"

"I guess that would be between the ages of 18 to about 30 depending of course on the health of the mother."

"How many females would you say we have that fit that demographic?"

"I…um would only be guessing. If I had access my computer…"

The Overseer jumped up and offered his chair, motioning for Jonas to take his seat. "By all means, you can log in here. Take your time."

"A…okay." Jonas slowly moved to sit in the Overseer's chair as Alphonse looked on.

"Comfy isn't it?"

Jonas, dumfounded, simply shook his head in agreement. He started accessing his information and running queries, limiting the numbers.

Al moved to his cooler, "Are you sure you don't want anything?"

Jonas, too caught up in his work didn't reply. After a few quiet moments with Jonas tapping away on the Overseer's keyboard and Al sipping his beer he announced, "It's about 500 ladies." He answered enthusiastically happy to be able to assist the Overseer.

"How many of these ladies are married or in a serious relationship?"

"A…sir, we are bordering on doctor patient privilege…I…"

"Oh don't be a fuss bucket. Don't worry I won't tell anyone." He looked at him over his beer bottle and motioned with his eyes to the monitor as if to say 'get on with it already'.

Jonas turned back to the monitor slowly and began setting up a query while he tried to figure out where the Overseer was going with this information. He answered this time less enthusiastically, "Roughly 357."

"Roughly?"

"Well, I'm sure the status could have changed from their last well visit."

"Of course." Alphonse finished off his beer and set it in a collection crate near the door. Walking back to his desk he asked, "You put in a lot of hours at the clinic don't you Jonas?"

"Yes I do, but I don't mind. I enjoy the work I do." _Where was he going with this questioning?_

"You and Jolene usually spend long days together alone what with James busy on his little project." The Overseer stopped behind his chair looming over him.

################################################## ##########################

Previously…..

The Overseer had gotten the information he needed from the Tunnel Snakes. They were thorough in fact Al regretted not placing any restrictions on them. He had planned on simply making the request through a message like he usually did when he needed information, but _no_ he had to let Butch unsettle him. So much so that during their last face to face, he felt he needed to put Butch in his place. Al felt like he needed to let Butch know who was really in charge by ordering him to do the research and threatening him if it wasn't done to his satisfaction.

So now he was sure Butch was puzzling over the odd abruptness of James and Jolene's files. Every other person's files could be traced back through their ancestors up to one generation before the vault was sealed. James and Jolene's however ends, or rather begins 18 years ago. It would have been too arduous to create a cover. There really had been no point at the time. The files had simply been sealed as 'classified' and closed.

All of that meant little now. What he was looking at clearly showed how thorough the Tunnel Snakes could be.

Even though Al didn't like Butch having any extra knowledge, the absence of their records didn't prove anything. Unfortunately, explaining it away didn't make him feel less apprehensive. There was nothing he could do about it now. So he would simply ignore his feelings and deal with the information at hand.

The first thing he did was delete the cigarette analysis. He wouldn't need it because he had believed Butch when he told him it wasn't profitable but Al certainly wasn't going to let him have that satisfaction.

Al placed his feet on his desk, leaning back in his chair he settled in to do some reading. There was a lot of useless information again because he hadn't been specific. Sorting through it all was going to take some time.

~~oOo~~

Several hours later, he rubbed his eyes and looked over the notes he had taken.

James has been spending years researching something called Project Purity. It seems he has recently been searching for something called a G.E.C.K. within the vault. Other than providing his daughter with a weapon and entering restricted areas of the vault there was nothing he could readily use to manipulate James, although, Al was planning on researching this G.E.C.K thing for himself. Maybe if he gathered the info before James…?

Jolene was an intelligent, self motivated individual. Her grades were outstanding and she spent time self educating herself while not in class. It seemed her only law breaking had been the hydroponics incident. Since that occurrence, she has spent most of her time in the clinic.

Jonas however was a prize. It was people like Jonas that made Al's job almost too easy. He'd bribed a teacher, unnecessarily, but that still didn't diminish the crime and he had quite an interesting collection of inappropriate vid stills. The object of his inspiration it seemed was none other than Jolene, his best friend's daughter.

How had he come to possess this material?

It was obvious that he coveted this girl. If Jonas couldn't be threatened with the Core for his lawbreaking maybe she could be used somehow to manipulate him? Hopefully, there wasn't a relationship between them already. He glanced back, in all her records there was no one she seemed to be attached to, no boyfriend or lover. Did she prefer women? But there were no women besides his daughter. No, this was the wrong direction. He messaged his security chief to his office. They needed to find out who gave Jonas the vid stills and why?

################################################## ##########################

Back to Al and Jonas in the Overseer's Sanctuary….

Alphonse waited for a reaction. Jonas sat unresponsive. Al wondered how long he'd been hiding his feelings for Jolene. He pressed a silent buzzer under his desk.

Jonas heard the door open and watched a security officer enter and stand near the exit.

"Am I in some kind of trouble?" _What was going on?_ He rubbed his hands on his lap.

The Overseer smiled and reached over him to tap a few keys on the board. Jonas watched as an image of Jolene appeared on the screen.

"Do you recognize your coworker in this picture?"

It was Jolene in her T-shirt and panties standing at her locker in the Core. Jonas' mind immediately started racing; So Al had the pics, this didn't mean he was in any kind of trouble. He simply could've been called in to what? Finger the guard? Help them track down the porn trafficker?

"What about this one?"

The Overseer flicked to the next showing Jolene with the T-shirt over her head, arms up, round breasts perked up. His mouth was dry. He licked his lips and nervously wiped his hands down his legs.

"or this one?"

She was completely naked now, clothes deposited on the floor near her locker. She was frozen mid stride as she walked toward the showers.

"Well?" The Overseer waited for a response, watching Jonas curiously as he furtively glanced at the monitor and looked away. Seeming to not know what his response should be. Then finally scooting forward for what, a better look?

"Oh my God, that's Jolene! Where…where did you get these stills?

################################################## ##########################

Previously….

Officer Cowen was in deep shit. The Security Chief had his ass in the grinder and was chewing it up ready to spit it back out at him. They'd found his stash of Core Porn and now it was looking like he'd be joining the Core indefinitely.

That was until they told him if he cooperated he'd get off with a suspension, a house arrest, on a made up charge even. All he needed to do was turn over all his merchandise, his contacts and what they were compensating him with.

He hated to give up any names. He prided himself on his confidentiality. Well someone hadn't done a good job of doing the same for him had they?

He was put under house arrest for 'sleeping on duty' and was told to get in touch with the Security Chief if anyone came to see him with a request.

When they searched his quarters they collected two lockers full of merchandise. He didn't keep anything on the personal. Everything was a hard copy. He kept meticulous records though; who order what and when, what they were given in exchange; when the exchange happened and if it was paid in full. Again all this was kept written down, one folder per customer.

Al wasn't worried about all that at the moment. Security Chief Hannon could go through it all. All Al wanted right now was anything and everything with Jolene's name on it.

It took some time but they found all the stills plus a vid with a surprising twist to this little drama. Al would've suspected Butch of keeping this information from him if it hadn't been so well hidden. It seemed little Jolene had a least two man clamoring to get between her legs. Three if the pervert Cowen counted. Al wasn't so sure he did. Al almost reveled in the knowledge of Butch and Jolene. Was this a one time thing? Was he still seeing her? Why did watching the vid twist him up a little inside? Something stung when he saw him with that harlot. No, Al did not like it one tiny bit.

The payment Jonas had made and was still making to Cowen was a combination of drugs. It was noted the payment was to insure no other copies of the vid circulated. Al admired Cowen's business sense.

Now what would he do with this new tidbit of information?

################################################## ##########################

Presently Al putting the screws to Jonas….

"The same place we located this vid." Al spoke and pressed a button. The monitor changed with Jonas' expression.

Jolene was moaning with pleasure as Butch pinned her to the lockers.

Jonas' face drained of all color. He knew then that it was him they were after, him or that asshole Cowen. Either way he wouldn't be here if they didn't think he had nothing to do with this?

"I can explain…" he tried to swallow and wished he had taken the Overseer up on that drink.

The Overseer placed a hand up to stop him and clicked off the vid stopping Jolene mid moan.

"There is no need for explanation Jonas. Any virile man would understand the interest."He stopped hovering over Jonas and began to pace habitually tapping his steepled fingers. "You see there is not only the incident of the inappropriate material but also your 'payment' for the material. By our laws I should be sending you to the Core for a considerably long time."

He waited for a plea of mercy, a defensive denial, nothing of that spewed from Jonas. Instead Jonas buried his face in his hands, clearly struggling with his situation. Al almost thought he saw his shoulder twitch as if stifling a sob.

"You are by now thinking you've lost everything. How could you go back to practicing at the clinic with drug charges and how could you show yourself to your precious Jolene with the porn charges?"

"YOUCANT!" He jumped up so fast the chair nearly toppled. His cheeks wet with silent tears, "Put me away, smear my name with drug charges, but keep the stills out of it please!"

Al stood back as the security officer moved between them removing his baton in case he had to keep Jonas from assaulting the Overseer.

"She can't know, she can't find out. I know it was wrong but…but she's so beautiful and …and so close every day. All I wanted was to be closer to her. Don't do this to me please." He collapsed back into the chair quietly pleading, "I'll never have a chance with her if that happened. If this was just drug charges, when I get out I'd…I might still have something."

The officer backed off but kept his baton handy, this wasn't over yet.

"Do you really believe that? Do you believe that after a year of no Jonas and all Butch that she'd even consider you when you get out?"

"That fucking prick. He doesn't deserve her! She is too good for him."

"And you Jonas are so much better for her, is that right?"

"I LOVE her!"

"Yes, I can certainly see there are some feelings for her that much is quite evident. With that being said I am certain you don't want your 'feelings' and evidence of them to become known by her. So in order to keep your habitual feelings hidden I require something from you."

Jonas looked at him questionably.

Standing in front of his desk the Overseer crossed his arms. "I want a son. I want a son and I do not want a wife. Now, Jonas I need you to pay very close attention to what I'm about to tell you." The Overseer leaned over to be face to face with Jonas. "I want you Jonas," he pointed to Jonas, "to take my seed and impregnate any and all women that I tell you to, so I can have as many sons as I please." He stood back up and watched as his information sank in.

Jonas slunk back into the chair and stared at nothing as he processed this 'request'. "More than one son?"

The Overseer shook his head and watched Jonas, a finger to his lips.

"Have you a number in mind?" this was absurd. A vault filled with little Overseer's running around.

Again the Overseer shook his head but in the opposite direction.

The questions the Overseer asked earlier now made sense; 'How many women of child bearing age', 'How many women in relationships'. He wasn't going to ask these women to carry his children. Jonas was to do this without their knowledge. He was to place the Overseers sperm into an unsuspecting woman and hope one takes. How many moral and ethical codes did this break? How was he going to go about doing this? Could he live with himself? Could he live without Jolene?

_'fuckit,fuckit,fuckit,' _he whispered under his breath while rubbing his hand over his face. He covered his eyes leaning back in the Overseer's most comfortable chair and thought how he would go about impregnating these women with sperm, but wait, not just any sperm, no, it had to be a boy. His scientific mind started to kick in, that would require him to attempt to separate the fast swimmers from the slow or collect an egg from the female and fertilize it, stopping the growth of the females. No not that. He couldn't do that and harvesting the egg would be too hard.

"I…I can't guarantee a boy, not entirely." What the hell was he saying? How could he go along with this insane idea? Did he really have a choice?

The Overseer smiled. Jonas was going to play ball, fantastic. "What would be the percentage?"

Jonas tried to remain emotionally removed from this idea and think scientifically. "I could work with your sperm, separating the faster ones from the slower ones. It has been theorized the faster ones are boys."

"Superb, I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to put this plan into motion. Just tell me how much sperm and how early before one of the selected women come in for a check-up."

Was he really going through with this?

It was this or lose everything. He would not lose Jolene. Not when he was so close, besides what are a few little Overseers running around? It flooded the gene pool variety is what it did. They needed variety to remain healthy and strong. He pushed those thoughts aside.

"I would probably need a sample three days before so I could get them ready."

"Good, good." Al was nearly jumping up and down with excitement. "You will provide me with a list of your patients on a weekly basis and I will tell you who to impregnate. Someone will deliver my little fishes. How?"

"I'll give you several containers." He waved off the awkwardness.

The Overseer stuck out his hand excitedly, "I am pleased to be working with you Jonas. My offspring are in your hands." He was smiling ear to ear.

Jonas stood and took his hand tentatively to shake it. The bastard was blackmailing him and he was acting like they were business partners.

The Overseer, still gripping Jonas' hand, led him around his desk. "I am so excited to be working with you Dr. Jonas. I am sure it wont be long before you are working on your own quest for immortality."

Jonas stopped, turning from the security chief who was escorting him out. "Wait, I…did you confiscate all of the stills? Can I at least hold on to copies while I am working for you?

Al burst out laughing, hard unable to stand laughter. He needed to sit down before he fell over with laughter. "Oh Jonas you and I are going to work well together."

* * *

WN 08-13 for those you read this before the changes. I never liked Al threatening Butch in the first draft. I always felt his feelings for Butch were too strong to consider harming Butch permanently.


	26. Chapter 26

Ok, Ok, Ok, I am guilty of being sucked into New Vegas. My bad but I couldn't help it.

**Chapter 26: Butch's Revelation**

Butch wasn't sure what to do with this information. They'd gotten past the weak classified block only to find nothing to be classified. Had it all been erased? Was it connected somehow with the project James was working on? Had it been erased because Al didn't want him having that information?

They had given everything over to Al, All but the vid. His relationship with Jolene needed to stay dark. He was sure Al would use her against him if he could, that was unless Al needed her too.

Why was she in the dark like her father? Was there something she wasn't telling him? Did she also work for Al? Had this whole relationship been a rouse? Was she using him? After that little display with Jonas...No, Jonas had pursued her. Unless Al got to her after they'd been dating... How could he know of their involvement? Damn vid. She might have let it slip somehow. Fuck it.

He wanted to confront her. Find out what the hell was going on, but no, that was not a good idea. Not yet. He needed to dig deeper. Turn this fucking vault inside out if he had to. Fucking place.

The next day he sat down next to Paul in front of the personal they had set up and told him his plan.

"You want to do what?"

"We need to do this Paul. I need to know what goes in this blank." He poked his empty palm for emphasis.

"Why don't you just ask her?"

"No!" a little too loudly, then, "She can't know of this, I..."

"You don't trust her." Paul interrupted surprised at that.

"No. Fuck, I don't know, I don't know who to trust in this shit hole." He smacked his thighs and sat back in the chair, exasperated.

Realizing his friend's desperation, he was willing to help. "We can get into Security's record pretty easy but getting into the Chief's personal that could take some time. Especially, if we want in without being detected. Now Al's...we may have to do that on site."

"On site?" then quietly, "You mean go into his office?" He had scooted to the edge of his seat again, leaning towards Paul

"Yeah, I don't think his personal is wired to the grid. At least I've never seen it. Now, it could have a disguise or only be jacked in at a certain time or, Hell, both." This wouldn't be easy.

"Fuck. What about running a program to monitor for something like that?"

"We...", Paul began but Butch finished for him.

"...need another personal wired in with ghosting running." Butch was thrilled that Paul was still his go-to guy. "You get on the security. I'll get us another personal jacked in."

~~oOo~~

Paul, Butch and another techie Tunnel Snake worked for days getting the second personal ready to run. Once it was up Paul worked on scanning security records and all vids for any name or face recognition of James and Jolene. They followed the vids back eighteen years, then nothing.

The first vid image they located of James was of him stepping out of the Security Chief's office carrying Jo, eighteen years ago. They were still working on the oldest data record.

Butch studied the vid image. He followed the shots as James was escorted to the clinic. The security cameras take them every thirty seconds after they register a Pib-Boy was in range. James looked younger of course and thinner. He was clean shaven, less grey. His jumpsuit looked dark blue and very clean. He had a Pib-Boy on one arm and Jo in the other. Something about the picture didn't feel right though and it nagged at his brain.

~~oOo~~

Piecing together what Al had said and the ammunition found on Jonas, Butch figured whatever Al was up to Jonas was going to be his lap dog for a while. But was he only being twisted to assist James and Jo? If that was it, Butch was sure Jo could easily persuade Jonas to assist. The extra ingredients for blackmail wouldn't be needed unless this project was just too morally corrupt.

He fucking hated being in the dark like this.

Paul was working on security. The other personal was matching personals to their users to find that one hidden one of Al's, if it was even out there. Still they needed to know what the Hell was going to happen with Jonas. He got to work on a third personal.

~~oOo~~

"We can't keep hacking in like this. Security does their own sweeps too you know." Paul was getting nervous. "It takes constant monitoring to make sure we're not detected and you want to jack in another? There is only a few of us I trust with this shit."

"Damn it Paul, there is something going on, I can feel it. I'll monitor this one myself. Don't go belly up on me now Paul."

~~oOo~~

Butch found Jonas' 'visit' to Al's office and his log-ins. There was a list of women coming in for appointments in the next week or so sent to Al. Why would Al want this information? What did these women all have in common?

Tracking Jonas was one thing. Butch had him going back and forth to his rooms, and to the cafeteria but no more visits to Al's. If he wanted to track anyone in Security or with their trackers off, it was totally by face recognition and only if the camera was activated by another nearby Pib-Boy. It was trial and error accompanied with a barrel full of luck. He hated this.

~~oOo~~

Jolene had messaged him several times in the past two weeks wanting to see him. He got back with her saying he was busy working on something and hadn't had time. He was also thinking he didn't know if he could trust her. He knew it wasn't a good idea to leave her alone with Jonas at her heels and he missed her. He agreed to meet her at his place late tonight.

Butch got to his place about an hour before Jo was coming over. He didn't want to meet her at the Tunnel Snakes, there was too much going on down there. He also hadn't seen his mom in a few days what with napping in the chair in front of the personal. He'd disconnected it before leaving tonight.

When he entered he found his mom passed out in her chair, bottles cast about left and right, just as he'd expected. At least there was some leftover food out so she'd eaten something recently. He moved the bottles out of the way and carried her into her room, gently laying her on the bed. He then went into the bathroom and wet a warm towel. Coming back to her bed he carefully washed his mom.

She awoke a little, "Is that you Butchie?"

"Yes mom." He tried not to look at her face as she spoke. She was deteriorating before his eyes.

She reached up, searching for his face then finding it, patting it softly "You're too good to me. My little Butchie." Her hand fell back down. She was already back to sleep.

Butch finished with his mom and was straightening up when the door rang.

He let her in with his hands full of bottles, "Sorry, I haven't been home in a couple of days."

"It's okay." She kissed him quickly and helped him finish up.

With the bottles collected by the door in two large crates, they flopped onto the sofa into each other's arms.

"You look tired." She searched his face, trying to figure out what was bothering him.

"It's been a busy two weeks." She was going to suspect something if he wasn't careful. Maybe this was a bad idea.

"You want to talk about it?" He was certainly preoccupied.

"No, I just want to be with you." He kissed her and in a few moments the worries dragging at him were lifting away.

He had missed her warmth and softness under his hands. He had missed her scent and the soft moans she made when he touched her. He felt so good with her. How could this be anything but real?

~~oOo~~

Paul was munching on some sugar bombs as he configured the personal for the next query when Wally ran up, frantic looking for Butch.

"Look he took off to meet Jo. How the Hell I'm I supposed to know where they went?"

"Damn it, how long ago did he leave?"

"Over an hour, what gives?"

"I need to get that gun back tonight. Dad's gonna have my ass. I'll look some more down here but will you check to see where he went?"

"Fine, fine, but you better hope he's got it on him cause if you plan on interrupting his 'Jo time'..."

Paul pushed some buttons on his Boy looking for Butch. He was in his quarters with Jo just as he expected. Wait...why could he see Jo at all? Shit, he franticly messaged Butch.

~~oOo~~

They were half naked, pressed against each other when Butch's Boy went off. He ignored it but it wasn't stopping.  
Fuck, this had better be good he thought as he pulled reluctantly away.

As he read his message, she could almost feel the tension in the room jump. He was still as a statue as he spoke threw his teeth, low and direct.

"Take your Pib-Boy off now."

"Butch what it is?" she fumbled with her clothes.

"Now God Damn it!"

She jumped, "Okay, Okay fine." What the Hell was going on?

She handed it to him letting, the sleeve of her jump suit quickly cover the bracelet Jonas had returned to her. She wore it under her Pib-Boy.

"Fuck it, Fuck me!"

She watched as he opened the back and took out her chip then she remembered. "Wholly Crap! Butch I'm, I'm so sorry. I...Jonas had Stanley come fix it. I totally forgot...I'm so, so sorry."

The chip was destroyed and he was messaging back to someone. She watched him sigh and shake his head a little. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers and leaned his head back. "I think you should go."

"Look I know it was stupid of me to forget, I think he had it turned on to keep track of me and I think he's pretty jealous of you." She smiled trying to lighten the mood.

"Here." He took her hand and pushed up her sleeve to help her with her Pib-Boy when he saw the bracelet.

"What the fuck is this?" he gripped her wrist and glared at her.

It was stupid, she shouldn't have worn it. But she had forgotten about it just as she had the stupid tracker chip. Damn it. How could she have screwed up so royally?

"I...Jonas offered it back. I didn't want to hurt his feelings. I work with him all day. I have to be civil to him." She tried to pull her hand away but he was gripping too tightly.

He jerked her arm pulling her close, her arm bent between them with the bracelet in full view.

"This is not called 'being civil' this is called 'leading him on' or is that what you are doing to me?"

She paled, "How could you..? I love you Butch, not Jonas. I was stupid. He doesn't mean anything to me..."

"Get out!" he pushed her away, shoving her Pib-Boy at her.

"Butch don't do this, I was stupid: she was starting to cry.

"I said get the fuck out now!"

She had never seen him so angry, "Butch, I love you"

"OUT!" he stood quickly pointing at the door but not looking at her.

She started to cry as she fled the room hurrying down the corridor.

He heard her crying before the door shut. Fuck. Fuck. He picked the bracelet off the floor. Why the hell would she do this? Damn it he didn't know if he could trust her. Fuck. She'd looked so pale when she was caught with it, guilty and...pale.

Wally buzzed the door, he opened it absentmindedly.

'She looked pale' what the hell was nagging him. Something with that still of her and her father, that first shot.

Wally looked at him quizzically, "It's in the bedroom" he pointed.

Wally disappeared down the hall.

"Wholly fuck!"

Wally jumped, Butch's exclamation started him. "What! What?" He ran into the room looking around in confusion.

"Grab a crate and follow me you are not going to fucking believe this one."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: Heartache**

Jonas was working late preparing Al's 'sample' when he heard her come in. He had known she was out. Today was the first night in a while that she had gone and he was having a hard time concentrating on his work knowing she had gone to _his_ quarters. The thought of Butch's hands on her infuriated him.

She didn't try to cover her return in silence as usual and he thought he had heard crying? He should check on her.

In the last few weeks since their little embrace at the clinic, they had gotten rather comfortable together. There was flirting and more touching in their day to day interactions. He really felt like they were moving closer and then tonight she went out to meet _him,_ again.

Damn it to Hell.

But now, he was sure he heard what sounded like sobbing before she'd closed her bedroom door.

Quickly, he finished putting everything away for tomorrow and headed into the hall. Standing outside her door he was certain she was in tears.

"Jolene" He called quietly "Hon, can I come in?"

He had also started to affectionately call her 'Hon' in these past few weeks. He took it as a good sign that she hadn't corrected him.

There was silence, then from inside. "No"

"Hon, I can tell you're upset. Please."

"No Jonas, Now please just go away."

He sighed. A part of him ached at hearing the hurt in her voice but another part was thrilled, suspecting her torment was caused by Butch. Butch had hurt her just as Jonas had expected him to.

"I'm not going away until I can see that you are alright."

He heard a few quiet movements then the door opened.

Having never been inside her sleeping chamber he scanned it quickly attempting to memorize every detail. He was hoping to use her private surroundings to learn more about her, to become closer to her.

The lighting was dim. Only one small light next to her bed and light from her lavatory lit the room. Next to her lavatory door was her dresser. On the dresser among loose papers and magazines was the picture he had taken of her and James on her 10th birthday. On the wall opposite her bed, stood a small book shelf with books, magazines, tapes and vids neatly arranged and a desk with her personal and several medical texts in disarray.

She had taken her boots and socks off leaving them on the floor near the bed. The front of her jump suit was unzipped to her waist like she had been in the middle of changing and stopped. He could see her white half T-shirt clearly. Moving his eyes up to her wet face he felt bad for the elation he felt in the hall and only wanted to tear Butch a new hole for hurting her.

He let the door close behind him and reached to gather her into his arms.

She backed away, "Don't even try, part of this is your fault you know." She looked at him angrily.

"Part of what? Jolene please tell me what happened."

"Oh sure you can't wait for me to say it can you? You've wanted this to happen."

"Wanted what to happen?" He kept his voice low even though hers was raised.

"The fucking tracker chip was on! The one you insisted be fixed." She sat down hard on the bed. "Damn it! I'd forgotten about it." She also thought of the bracelet she'd forgotten. "He was so angry. I was stupid." She started to cry again with her face in her hands.

He crouched down kneeling in front of her. "He didn't hit you did he?"

"No…" She wiped her face on her sleeve. "No." She sounded defeated.

He wrapped his arms around her waist wanting to comfort her. She held his head to her breast and cried for another moment longer continuously wiping her face on her sleeve.

Pulling away she said "I'm making a mess here." She tugged at her sleeve then pointed to her side table. "Will you get me a hanky?"

When he returned she had freed her arms letting the top of her jumpsuit fall back on the bed. She thanked him and wiped her nose.

She was sitting in her white half T-shirt. It was the white half Tee he'd seen so many times in his pictures. He tried not to stare, it was near impossible not to look at the skin of her mid section peaking out. It only took her a moment to wipe her face but in that moment he took in everything: the glimpse of her skin, her breast pressing against the white fabric.

When she was done she tossed the hanky to the floor. Taking a shaky deep breath she sighed.

On his knees in front of her he was nearly eye level. He placed his left hand on her thigh and brushed a hair behind her ear. "You want to tell me about it?"

He pretty much figured they'd at least had a fight, but what transpired or the outcome was something he yearned to know.

She shook her head no and started crying once more. "He kicked me out." She managed before she dissolved onto the floor into his lap, wrapping her arms and legs around him, squeezing him tight.

He held on to her wanting her close but not too close. She didn't need to know how turned on he was right now.

She buried her face into his shoulder and cried. Sobs racked her body as he rocked her, holding the back of her neck with one hand the other one finding the warm flesh of her back under her T-shirt.

He was infuriated with Butch. The stupid puke didn't know how good he had it having Jolene. How could he do this to her? Did he even care? Probably not, Butch had his fun and he was done, just has Jonas had suspected. She shifted a little and he choked on a moan, her thighs felt firm squeezed around him. He tried to take his mind off it by caressing her back.

She started to calm down while being rocked in Jonas' arms, his fingers causing goose bumps on her skin. Slowly she became aware of his need pressing between her legs. It felt good. Jonas felt good. Why had Butch hurt her? She tried to push away the pain. He had been so angry with her. How could he think she'd done it on purpose? Tears threatened to fall again. No, she fought the hurt and swallowed hard. She didn't want to feel this torment. The pain was crippling. Maybe, just maybe, and she had thought this before, had thought that maybe she felt so much for Butch because he was her one and only. She felt secure in Jonas' arms. He felt tempting pressed hard against her. She would never know unless she did something about it. The misery had to stop.

Jonas had felt her quiet, becoming still in his arms. Then he felt her lips against his neck. She was kissing him. His whole body froze in an instant. He didn't know what to do. She squeezed her legs tighter pressing herself hard against him. He drew in a quick breath. Kissing along his jaw she found his lips and kissed him eagerly.

By the Powers he wanted her but this was confusing as all get out. He started to speak by couldn't make words. He wasn't sure what he was trying to say but it came out sounding all garbled.

"I need you Jonas." She whispered breathy in his ear.

She was fumbling for his jumpsuit zipper. He helped her free his arms from his suit. His chest was bare. He wore no T-shirt underneath. She kissed and nipped at his skin.

He reached into her suit gripping her ass pulling her closer again. Her skin was so hot, so smooth. Grabbing the back of his neck she threw her head back as she rubbed up against his hardness, her breasts presented themselves to his face. Lifting her Tee he took one in his mouth. Grabbing the back of his head she pressed him harder against her breast and arched her back moaning. He couldn't fucking believe this.

He came up for air and she slid her hand down the front of his suit wrapping her fingers around him.

He gasped "Jolene… Hon are…are you sure you..."

She kissed him hard and pumped him a few times before sliding off to her back on the floor. She pulled the little Tee over her head.

She was so unbelievable beautiful. If he didn't take her soon…

He closed his eyes and thought,_ 'baseball baseball baseball.'_

He looked at her again, watching her wiggle with desire, half naked. She was looking at him the way he had fantasized she'd look at him.

"Touch me." She whispered and slid a hand between her legs.

He was over her then, one hand between her legs helping her. She was so ready for him. He held himself up with the other and took a taught nipple into his mouth.

"Yes." She arched up to him throwing her head back, pressing his hand with hers, "Please don't stop. Make me come."

He pressed two fingers inside of her juicy hotness. She squirmed under him. Jonas still couldn't believe what he was doing. She was reacting to his touch. She wanted him.

"Oh Jolene you are so wonderful, so beautiful."

He kissed her neck as she bucked against his fingers crying out with pleasure. Pulling away slowly he watched her bask in her post orgasmic euphoria as he quickly pushed his suit to his feet. She rubbed her hands over her breast and stomach to her waist as she pushed her suit over her hips. He reached down and helped her pull them completely off. She was naked before him, naked and smooth and flushed, glistening with heat. How long had he wanted this? He couldn't remember not wanting this. He leaned over her again and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I need you Jolene. I've always needed you."

He kissed her as he entered slowly enjoying all of her. He pressed hard against her completely surrounded by her heat. He was afraid to move. She writhed under him and it was all he could do to contain himself.

_'Baseball baseball baseball.'_

"Fuck me Jonas, Fuck me now."

He started thrusting in and out slowly at first then building faster and faster.

"Jolene you have to stop, I haven't done this Oh…Oh shit…Jolene..."

His orgasm was intense. He held her in his arms so happy to be here at last.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered. "I wanna do it again."

He laughed out loud and rolled off her. "Get on the bed."

~~oOo~~

She watched him take off his boots. She wanted to have another go at it alright, wanted to have another chance to forget Butch. Once just wasn't enough to drown out this agony deep between her breasts.

He crawled up next to her and started to say, "I don't know how much time…"

"Shhhh." She shushed him and climbed on top.

"Jolene you shouldn't..." She shut him up with a kiss.

Hungrily she kissed him. She rubbed her body against him as she slowly kissed his neck and chest. She took her time nibbling her way down between his legs. Grabbing his hardening cock she licked his balls, tugging him to attention once more.

"Jolene…this…you shouldn't…"

She continued to pleasure him until his was stiff as a board then she proceeded to climb on.

"This isn't proper. Jolene…oh yesss"

She road him, slamming into him has hard as she could feeling the pulses intensify inside her. She pressed her breast into his face and he eagerly took one into his mouth. He grabbed her ass as she rocked. Her wetness squeezed around him as she cried out in pleasure. Not wanting to hold back he released himself into her, still unable to believe this was happening.

Collapsing next to him she was immediately over come with remorse. She rolled quickly to her side away from him wiping tears from her eyes. He spooned up behind her squeezing her tight.

He kissed her shoulder. "That was better than I had ever imagined."

She moaned and nodded in response afraid her voice would give away her tears. She wanted him to leave.

They lay there quietly, he caressed her side and she pretending to go to sleep. After some time she felt him slowly get off the bed and listened to him quietly get dressed. He walked up to her bed and she felt covers pulled over her nakedness.

He brushed hair from her forehead as he bent to kiss her. "I love you Jolene."

She lay there a few moments after the door closed than slowly sat up.

_'Fuck,fuck,fuck.'_ She pounded the bed with her fist.

What the hell did she just do? The agony for Butch was still burning in her chest. Suddenly the vault felt suffocating. She needed to get away. But where could she go in this tin can where no one would find her? At that moment she understood why some people turned to suicide, why they generously dispensed mind altering pills at the clinic. There was no escape. She began picking up her clothes and decided to message Amata.

"Come on. Come on answer."

Her message tone pinged a few minutes later. She could go there. Amata's was where she'd hide out for a while. Hopefully some girl time would get her head on straight.


	28. Chapter 28

Thanks to everyone who is still hangin' with this story!

**Chapter 28: Jolene Decides**

When James awoke his message light was blinking. It was from Jolene, she was staying at Amata's for a while. She needed time she said to sort some things out. He wondered if it had anything to do with all the commotion he had heard in her room last night. She and Jonas had had quite a visit.

He had almost banged on the wall or gotten up and knocked on her door but he didn't want to be the stuffy old dad. She was an adult now and he was happier thinking of her with Jonas than with the Butch boy.

James decided to check on Jonas to see if he knew or needed any help in the clinic. Stepping in he saw a curtain drawn around one of the tables. Jonas was with a patient. He would simply send him a message. What was he really going to say anyway, 'um, after your little escapade last night Jolene needs some time to think. She's asking for some privacy. Oh and I'll be in my study if you need me'? He didn't think so.

~~oOo~~

Jonas had awakened all excited to see Jolene this morning. He wasn't sure if he had dreamt the whole thing. He noticed his message light as he got undressed to shower. It was from Jolene: She said she was sorry but she needed some time alone to think. She asked that he not come around or try to contact her. She was at Amata's. He was disappointed. He had hoped to repeat last night; it felt so unreal he wanted to solidify it, to touch her that way again. It was probably best though that she would be away today because he was doing his first procedure for the Overseer.

He had prepared everything the night before, setting it up as if there would be the two of them in the room. A lot of the other women requested Jolene be there, they felt more at ease with another woman standing by. Sometimes they even requested she do the procedure even though she was still considered 'in training'. He would have really needed to pull off a slight of hand or pretended he had forgotten something and asked her to fetch it for him. At that time hopefully he could squirt the syringe of male sperm into Mrs. Simon. Now he would simply, slowly squirt it and tell Mrs. Simon he was applying a cream before the palpitation examination.  
So for today at least he wouldn't have to worry about Jolene catching on. He would only have to live with his own guilt.

~~oOo~~

Amata went into her kitchen to fetch some breakfast for the two of them. Jolene wasn't coming out. She had unloaded everything up until the wee hours of this morning and fell asleep exhausted. Amata didn't think Jolene would ever stop crying. She couldn't believe the mess Jolene had gotten herself into. From the beginning she had thought Jolene's relationship with Butch was dangerous. She actually worried for her friend's safety while at the same time admiring her for taking the risks. Jolene had always talked excitedly of their little rendezvous, maybe with not as much detail as Amata had hoped but they still got her heart racing. Amata herself had only recently let Chuck touch and suck on her breast, and here was her friend a wreck because she'd been sleeping with Butch and now Jonas, who is a much older man, and now she was regretting it completely. Maybe what her friend needed to do was keep her legs crossed until she was married.

When she turned with the dishes she nearly bumped into her father.

"Two Plates?" he raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"It's Jolene Daddy, She's going to hide out in my room a while, boy trouble."

"Anyone I know?"

"Oh you are funny Daddy. Did someone sneak into the vault while you were sleeping?"

For one split second his heart stopped, 'could his daughter know?' Then just as quickly he dismissed her remark as simple sarcasm as he could see she had intended it to be.

He patted her face, "Not going to share the juicy gossip?"

"It's girl talk. You wouldn't understand anyway."

He watched her walk back to her room and thought, 'I understand way more than you think I do sweet heart.'

~~oOo~~

Amata meant well and Jolene really appreciated her friend's advice but it was all a little too late. Even though Jolene had never been the prude Amata was, she didn't think of herself as loose either. She didn't sleep with every guy that smiled at her and she didn't wear her jump suit half unzipped with nothing underneath like she'd seen some of the other girls do.  
So she had two guys interested so what? So she found them both attractive in their own way. So she slept with them both, what was wrong with that? There were two men in the vault with two wives. Why did she feel pressured to choose? It was a stupid double standard and she hated it, but did she want to be with both of them? Was she looking to settle in and make a family? Populating the vault was a 'good citizens' duty. Could she see herself raising a family? Deep inside she felt too young but she was nearing optimal child bearing age. Did she want to raise a family with Butch or Jonas? Did she want a family? Argggg!

She needed to speak to her father. She messaged him and waited for a response.

She had wanted to meet somewhere they would have privacy and not run into Jonas or Butch. James suggested the reactor room, her old shooting range.

"I haven't been here in forever" She was still sniffling. She had cried when her father hugged her in greeting. Even if he was absent most of the time he had always come through for her. She felt so safe in his arms

"We could've met somewhere else." He leaned back against the pipes as he spoke.

"No, it's fine. I just feel so grown up being here." She paced.

"You are dear."

She wondered if that had been his intention. If she didn't have this place from her childhood would they have met at the school?

"What's troubling you honey?"

She sighed. Where to begin? "Jonas tells me you know about Butch and me. Is that true?"

He shook his head up and down.

"How long have you known?"

"Not long, a month or so."

"Why didn't you confront me? Get all 'dad' on me about it?" she did the air quotes with her fingers.

"Is that what you really want? You are a woman now, as much as it hurts me to find out. Do I really have the right to throw my judgment on you? Maybe you should be asking yourself why you felt you needed to hide it from me?"

"At first I did, but then …later" It was all Butch but she couldn't tell him that or why.

"Jonas has been asking for my permission to pursue you as his wife. Am I wrong in assuming he's told you I've given him my approval?"

She shook her head back and forth.

"Have you accepted his advances?"

She shook her head again in the opposite direction. "Daddy, Butch isn't what he appears to be. He's a good person, a special person. I…you've always told me, 'you live in the vault, you die in the vault', make the most of your life here but what about you Daddy? You didn't take another wife.

"I loved your mother very much Jolene. No one could replace her." He spoke flatly, trying to keep a defensive tone out of his voice.

"But what of your vault duty? I should have brothers and sisters running around in here."

"This is not about me Jolene." She could hear an irritable tone in his voice but he was trying not to get angry.

"Why does it have to be this way? Why is there this conformity if you don't follow you're looked down on! The Overseer has never really liked you. Would he if you had taken another wife and had children? Why does it have to be this way Dad? Why is it 'do this' or be an outcasts?"

"Because it's what's best for the vault Jolene. It's what's best for everyone. If you don't want to help then are you not against everyone else? People tend to look down on non conformist."

"I hate it."

"You don't have it that bad Jolene." He thought of how much worse life would be outside; the darkness; disease; radiation; raiders; mutants etc.

"No? What kind of choices do I have? Well let's see, I can choose to be with Butch and be an outcast, have my father disappointed in me, and probably not get to practice in the clinic. I mean who's going to see a doctor with a Tunnel Snake for a partner? I can choose to be with no one, remain the single doctor fitting in by not quite fitting in or I could choose Jonas, be seen as an upstanding citizen have a family and still work at the clinic."

"Does that sound so terrible?"

"Shit Dad I don't know, maybe I'm just not ready."

This was his fault. He should have never encouraged her independence. If he'd only kept his feeling of repression to himself and raised his daughter to conform she wouldn't be struggling with this decision. Why couldn't he have been stronger? Did he not bring her here to have a better life? Instead he had planted disenchantment and given her a BB gun. Stupid.

"Honey, why don't you give Jonas a chance? He loves you very much. I know you feel something for him, nurse that feeling and see where it takes you."

"Dad why does growing up have to be so hard for me?"

He chuckled and pulled her in for a hug.

~~oOo~~

She felt better after her meeting with her father. He helped her get some perspective on her situation. It might not be what he wanted or expected but she realized she shouldn't be so worried about what others thought. He hadn't and he was happy. She went back to Amata's. She would be at work and Jolene would be alone to have some time to get her life in order.

She decided she would message Butch, apologize her eyes out and hope he replied. It was only one fight and she was sure he had strong enough feelings for her to give her another chance. If he didn't reply by tonight she would go looking for him. She needed to know if they had any chance together. She wasn't sure yet if she was going to tell him she slept with Jonas. After that meeting she would figure out from there what to do.

No matter what though, she wasn't going to give up working in the clinic. She loved working there and wasn't going to quite simply because she was with Butch or not. Jonas would either have to deal with it or work somewhere else. This was her destiny not his. She wouldn't give it up without a fight. Man what a mess.

Jolene was crossing the living space to Amata's room deep in thought when the lights came on. She jumped surprised to see the Overseer sitting on the sofa.

"Jolene why don't you have a seat?" He patted the cushion next to him. "I think we need to talk."

"Mr. Almodorvar. What?..."

"Please." He patted some more and smiled at her.

She cautiously walked around the coffee table and sat down as far as she could from him on the very edge of the sofa cushion.

He only smiled; her dread amused him in some way. He scooted over toward her and leaned back, spreading his arms across the back of the sofa his right directly behind her.

"Amata tells me you are having boy trouble. I hope it's nothing too serious."

She shook her head afraid to speak. She felt caught in a trap afraid if she struggled too much it would only tighten around her.

"You're not pregnant are you?"

She looked at him surprised. "No! I wouldn't…I still have my implant. Why?..." Then she bucked up. "Mr. Almodorvar I don't think this is any of your business."

He chuckled and started playing with her hair trailing over her shoulder. "Jolene, I'm the Overseer, _everything_ in the vault is my business. You see I know you are struggling with a decision. One I think I can help you make. A pregnancy would have complicated things but it's good to know we don't have to worry about that."

He scooted closer, brushed her hair back and whispered in her ear. "I think you should choose Jonas."

She shot up from the sofa and turned back to see him sitting smugly grinning at her.

"Wha…what? You can't tell me who to choose I…I know about you and the Tunnel Snakes."

"Oh I have no doubt about that, what with you keeping such close company with my boy Butch for so long, but I think Jonas needs you more."

"You can't simply decide who I'll spend the rest of my life with. You…you can't!" She was shaking. This couldn't possibly be happening to her. Tears were pooling up. "You can't." She placed a shaking hand over her mouth to try and calm and quiet herself. She couldn't believe this was happening, not now.

Al stood and came over to her. "You're upset because you know I can. I've messaged Butch. He knows that he isn't to see you any longer but I felt I needed to deliver your message personally." He smiled and wiped a tear from her face. "I have a guard waiting outside. I want you to gather your things and he will escort you to Stanley to get that tracker chip fixed one final time."

Slowly she turned to go get her things. She heard Al open the door and invite the guard in.

Al met her at Amata's door. "Jonas knows nothing about our little visit. I would hope he never finds out." She started to go but he grabbed her hand and held it stopping her. "Oh and Jolene since you know so much about me I don't have to tell you what could happen if our little plan falls apart?" he brought her hand up and kissed it.

"Officer Park, Jolene is ready to go now."


	29. Chapter 29

I know I know it has taken me forever to update, but I have produced the longest chapter yet AND typed it up with a broken arm. Thanks for all the reviews! Hope you enjoy

**Chapter 29: James and Butch**

James crept down the stairwell to the lower levels. He was prepared to take most of the night searching this level. Finishing tomorrow then proceeding to the next level and so on until he was certain the G.E.C.K wasn't in Vault 101.

He came inevitably to the door he had discovered his daughter and Butch 'rough housing' against. He paused suddenly taken back to that day and remembered vividly how giddy she had been. At the time it had happened he had been so shocked, now recalling that day he realized it had been some time since he had heard the smile and laughter in her voice.

Two months.  
It had been two months since Jonas and Jolene announced their intended marriage. He had been surprised by how fast she had moved their relationship along since their father daughter talk. It was for the best, right?

He wanted to be sure his daughter was taking care of when he left. Wanted to know she was safe. Her marriage to Jonas insured that didn't it? But was she happy?

She had seemed so taken with Butch. Did something happen that made her realize it had been teenage infatuation?

Jonas was happier than ever. They had had a morning coffee a few days ago and Jonas couldn't talk about anything but his daughter; How pretty she is, How smart and kind, especially with the patients. How he couldn't believe she had really picked him.

Deep down inside neither did James.

Jolene on the other hand seemed distant. He'd only ever saw her in the clinic anymore, busy with patients or text books. Maybe she was just overloaded. He had asked her one day in passing if she needed any help. He thought at first she hadn't heard him but it hadn't been that. She had been composing herself. Had she been fighting back tears? The more he thought about it now he was almost sure she had. He had been in a hurry that day and hadn't noticed, like usual, too caught up in his search.

Pausing for just a moment to hear if the hall was clear, caused a flashback to blink blindingly in his mind's eye of his daughter and Butch, her laughter singing in his ears. Shouldn't she be just as giddy with the wedding, planning the day, the dress, the decorations, their vows? He knew of no such plans.

He placed a palm on the cold metal door steadying himself in an attempt to clear his mind and focus on the G.E.C.K. but still his mind wondered back.

Had he not encouraged her to give Jonas a chance? She had made her decision. She was a big girl. He really couldn't afford to let his daughter distract him. He was nearly finished with his search. He needed to keep moving forward.

He checked his Pib-Boy, it wasn't registering anyone on this level. He listened before opening the stairwell door. There was no sound. He thought he saw someone in a Tunnel Snake jacket disappear behind the large door down the hall. He wasn't sure but in his state he could have imagined them. Closing the door quietly he decided to go in the opposite direction just in case.

It was impossible to open this door quietly but that didn't seem to bother the two Tunnel Snakes working at one of the benches. They didn't even look up at the sound. At first James thought he really needed a break 'cause he wasn't sure they were real until he heard them talking quietly. James decided to use his 'adult doctor voice' and make them disappear.

He cleared his throat, "What are you children doing down here? Don't you know this is a restricted area?"

They looked at him, not intimidated in the least. "We could say the same for you old man." He said something that James couldn't hear to his friend and he took off out of the room in a hurry.

"Seems your friend has the right idea, I think you should follow him."

"If you know what's good for you old man you'd pretend you never saw us down here and go back up where you belong."

Okay so, the 'adult authoritative voice' wasn't working on this one. He would try something else; "Look…" he tried to remember the boy's name and couldn't, "So we're both not supposed to be here, why don't I do my thing, you do your thing and we can pretend we never saw each other?"

The door clanked open behind James and he stepped to the side. The boy from before practically stumbled in out of breath and panted to his friend, "Butch wants to see him."

The door remained open and James watched two older Tunnel Snakes walk down the hall toward them. "You need to come with us." One of them said.

~~oOo~~

A few minutes later James found himself standing near a sofa in a make shift living area in a very large storage bay surrounded by Tunnel Snakes of every age and gender. They paced about or flopped casually on the various pieces of furniture all looking at him. For the first time in a very long time James felt uneasy. What had he wandered into? Certainly nothing nefarious was going on here?

Everyone's attention turned to the door when it clanked and they all watched as Butch walked in flanked on either side like deputies by Paul and Wally. He watched as Butch shooed someone from their metal chair and placed it center among the other furniture.

"Please, Mr. C. have a seat."

As James moved to his assigned seat he watched Butch acquire another chair in the same manner placing it directly in front of his. Butch chose to straddle his setting his arms across the back. Paul walked up to James and stood waiting by his side.

"Please give Paul your Pib-Boy." Butch directed.

"Now wait a minute…"

"It's just your tracker chip. We don't need any information from it." Butch explained. He sounded bothered, tired, frustrated.

"I disabled it. I didn't want to be tracked down here."

"We just want to make sure is all, you understand." He flashed him an irritating grin.

"No, I'm not sure I do, but I don't mind you checking." He proceeded to punch in his code and released the lock, handing it to Paul. He watched as it was taken over to a table and Paul directed another to it while he turned back to the group.

"What…" James paused wanting to ask the exact question. He knew this was a storage bay. He could deduce this was where the Tunnel Snakes hung out. Butch was obviously their leader. It was evident they wanted this place kept a secret, but why?

Butch watched James as he struggled to make sense of his situation. Butch was angry, he hated that James was sitting here reminding him of Jo. The thought of her caused a clenching in his chest. Jo, the best thing that had happened to him was taken away by a fuck of an Overseer. He would die for it one day. He'd die for taking Jo along with everything else good in Butch's life; his childhood, his mom, a normal life, all gone because of Al Fuck.

Enough of that, Butch pushed his hatred aside for now. James wasn't whom he wanted to kill. No need taking that anger out on him. He actually wanted to speak with James but had been avoiding it because he didn't want to think of Jo it hurt too much.

By the Powers the loss of Jo tore him up inside. He hated thinking of her with Jonas, that spineless speck of a man. What the Hell did Al Fuck want from Jonas that he sweetened the pot with his Jo? Butch hadn't been able to puzzle that one out just yet, but he knew what James wanted and what he wanted from James.

James blurted out his question then, bringing Butch back into the moment.

"Why do you need to see me?"

"We need to talk Mr. C. but let's take this slow shall we?" He stood and addressed the group. "Find some other entertainment for now and back up, give us some privacy."

James watched as everyone but Paul, Wally and the boy working on his Pib-Boy dispersed, some leaving others climbing and sitting on the storage crates, far enough for them to have a civil conversation and not be over heard.

James still couldn't quite grasp what was going on. It was almost surreal for him. He felt like he had entered some movie, the black and white ones he used to watch once a week with Jolene when she was little. The ones where the guy sat under a bright light and the tough guys 'soften' him up.

"James." Butch spoke. "James I know what you are looking for and I know where it is. I'll help you if you help me."

A look of surprise spread across James face that he quickly tried to hide. "What are you talking about?" How could Butch know anything about what he was doing?

The Tunnel Snake with his Pib-Boy brought it back over. "He took the chip out. No one followed him here. He's dark."

Butch motioned for him to give it back. James put it back on and checked a few modes. Everything seemed fine.

"Do you know if you damaged the chip when you took it out?" Butch asked arms draping over the back of his chair.

"I…I don't know," James replied offhandedly. "I can always get Stanley to fix it when I get back. It shouldn't be a problem." Then more emphatically, "I need to know what you think I'm looking for."

Butch sighed and rubbed his eyes with one of his hands. "It can be a problem if the Overseer finds out you are dark. I don't know how closely he is monitoring your movements what with his knowledge of your search, but he may think you've gone dark for another reason."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." James leaned forward placing a hand on his knee and gesturing with his other. "Monitoring me? Why? What does Al know of my research? What do you think you know? How…"He wiped his hand through his hair, "By the Powers what is going on?"

Butch stood and paced around the chair as he spoke. "You've been working on something called Project Purity off and on for the last ten years or so. This is an extensive water purifying project for large amounts of irradiated water. Since all our water in the vault is recycled I couldn't figure why this project would be of any use." Butch paused then to glance at James, his mouth slightly hanging open. He sat back down straddling the chair to face James once again. "At first I thought Al Fuck had you working on this. That was up until I found out you needed a G.E.C.K. and were stuck there because, if the Overseer had you on this project you would've moved on already."

James swallowed, his mouth was dry. How could this man know so much and what had Butch said? James found his voice, "What do you mean 'moved on already'?"

Butch watched as James demeanor changed from perplexed to totally pissed off. It was expected of course when a man's life work is threatened. James stood slowly clenching and un-clenching his fist. Butch felt the tension in the room rise and stood slowly preparing for whatever James would do.

James exploded by kicking his chair over and shouting. He lunged at Butch, grabbing his jacket with both fist growling in his face, "You will tell me what the fuck is going on here and you will not leave out anything or so help me…"

Butch put up his palms to stop all the Tunnel Snakes rushing toward them. Paul had drawn his knife and grasped James' arm jabbing the point into his ribs.

"Put it away Paul. James isn't a threat to us." James watched as Paul slipped his knife away and released him.

"Your turn James," Paul said still alert for any fast movements.

James slowly released Butch and turned to see everyone receding back to their original places. He realized he had no power here. No leverage to work with. He was at the mercy of the group of outcasts. Turning back to Butch he beseeched, "You have to tell me…I…after all this work it can't end like this. It can't." He collapsed unto one of the sofas.

Butch felt sympathy for the man but couldn't show it. He needed to play his hand to get what he wanted from James. "Chad." Butch called to someone over James shoulder. "Get this man a drink, the good stuff." Chad jumped off his crate and started to walk toward the back of the bay. "Get me one too while you're at it."

No one spoke while they waited.

They heard Chad before they saw him. On top of a hydraulic cart he pulled a crate of beer down the aisle clanking all the way. Rolling up to Butch he handed him a larger bottle with glasses. Butch handed them back as he opened and poured the liquor into the glasses. Corking the bottle he set it on the floor next to his chair. Taking a glass for himself, he nodded to Chad to hand the other to James. When Chad returned to the handle of the cart Butch asked "You intend to finish that cart?" Chad shrugged. "You and whoever partakes with you will work longer hours to make up the difference."

"You don't care?" Chad asked a little surprised.

"Oh I care, but I know you're good for it, just make sure whomever you share it with is too, or you'll be doing all the work."

"No problem." He said jubilantly and pulled the cart toward an excited maul of thirsty Tunnel Snakes.

James took a drink as he listened to Chad and Butch's exchange. Calmed slightly by the warmth spreading through his limbs he remarked, "This is good stuff. You stealing or counterfeiting ration cards?"

Butch chuckled, "Something like that but let's get back to why you're here. About six months ago our generous Overseer asked us to get all the information we could on the three of you working in the clinic. During our research we found out about your Project Purity."

"But it's all encrypted. How and why would Al ask you to dig into our personal information?"

"The encryption took about a week to break. We have some pretty good coders and all the resources in the vault available to us. It was a tough one to crack but we eventually got it, as for the reason why, that I haven't been able to puzzle out yet." He stood with his glass. "Like I said I thought at first you were working on this project with Al, but he wasn't sharing his information with you so that didn't pan. Then I thought foolishly that your daughter was playing me." He paused and took a drink giving him a moment to deal with his emotions. He spoke quietly looking at his drink, "How could a girl like her be interested in a guy like me right? I was paranoid, preoccupied, and a fool." He stared off at nothing for a heartbeat. "It was your pasts that perplexed me. Why was there nothing further back than eighteen years, nadda, zip, nothing, why?"

"Wait a minute, slow down." James put his hands up, one holding his glass, "Why would Al have you looking into anything let alone the three of us?"

"Jo never told you? I mean I asked her not to but I didn't think she'd keep it from her father forever." Butch thought back to the night of his birthday when she had found out. He had been so angry with Paul because Butch knew he was right. Fuck it. He wasn't sorry, they had been great together.

"Never told me what? And by the way how long were you with my daughter?"

"Since her time in the Core 'till about four months ago," He did his best to hide the anguish in his voice.

James watched as Butch finished off his drink and refreshed his glass. This young man seemed to have cared for his daughter very much. He was at least heartbroken over her.

"Anyway," Butch continued, "I'll not go into the whole back ground of it but the Tunnel Snakes are essentially Al Fuck's lackeys. He wants dirty work done we do it. He keeps his hands clean that way. If you don't believe me check your Boy, all of us in this room don't exist."

James scrolled through to the tracker mode and sure enough no one was in this room with him. How could all these people be absent on the Pib-Boys and Security not know? "And you do this because?"

"Suffice it to say years ago I traded one evil for a lesser evil. I'm not going into it any further, but you should know I don't enjoy it nor am I proud of it. 'Nough said."

"It must have been a big evil if this is the lesser."

"It was."

"And the information you found about my project?"

"Took it all back to the big boss."

"So that's how he knows about my research."

" 'fraid so."

James reflected for a bit. "How long has he known?"

"A little over four months. I asked him too about the dark period in you and Jo's past. Didn't faze him at all. He said something about a computer glitch, but I didn't buy it."

James put his glass out and Butch refilled it. "So he's known for four months. But nothing has changed. I haven't been stopped in my search."

Butch sat down next to James on the sofa, "I'm guessing it's because your search is of no threat to him at this time."

"But you said he knew."

"I said _I_ know where your G.E.C.K is and Al would too if he bothered to look."

"But he doesn't seem to care."

"Or he's watching you and at this point you simply entertain him."

"But you didn't want him to know I came here, which is why you checked my Pib-Boy chip."

"Yes." Butch nodded.

"Why is my coming here a concern if he knows I'll be searching all over the vault for the G.E.C.K.?"

Butch filled his glass with the rest of the liquor and stood. Sighing heavily he said, "This isn't easy to tell and if you care for Jo even half as much as I do it won't be easy for you to hear."

"What does my daughter…" fatherly concern screaming out.

Butch put his hand up stopping him. "Just let me get through this and you will see."

"Alright," James tone worried.

"While we were doing our digging on you three for Al Fuck, he got what he was looking for big time. Like I said Al's got something going on that I haven't puzzled out yet but I know who he's got doing it." Butch paused letting James put two and two together.

"Jonas? But…"

Again the hand. "Yeah, Jonas that slimy little fuck had naked stills of Jo and a vid of her and I from the girl's locker room in the Core."

"What! Jonas! That's absurd I've known Jonas for years. He must have been set up."

"If they had been placed we, the Tunnel Snakes, would've done the placing and I sure as shit wouldn't've put a vid of myself on his personal."

"Fuck it." James finished his drink. "So Al gets this dirt on Jonas and blackmails him with it, why?"

"I haven't figured that one out yet. If it's any consolation he paid someone to keep them from circulating. We haven't seen them in the slew of porn circulating through the lines."

James stood hand on hips. "Fuck it, fuck it. You think you know someone…" but how can he trust Butch, Maybe he's lying. "Prove it."

"I can show you the stills, but that doesn't prove where we got them. The Vid we erased. We never coughed that up, unfortunately that didn't keep the information from Al Fuck. There must have been a hard copy we didn't get our hands on."

Butch was right, seeing the stills didn't prove Jonas had them, but if they existed then maybe some of his story was true. They certainly seemed to have quite the set up here and how would this be possible without the Overseer's help or purposeful disinterest?

"Fuck. Show me"

"Wally." Butch, Paul and James followed Wally as he sat behind a personal and tapped his fingers on the board.

Butch leaned against the desk at Wally's side. He didn't need to see the stills again. Not here with everyone watching. He ached for her.

James gasped when Wally brought up the first still. He started thumbing through them.

"Stop. Stop, I've seen enough." He turned from them pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "I …I needed to know…how can I trust you?"

"I understand."

James paced his frustration growing inside, "He'd been asking for permission to pursue her for what? Two years? He seemed to really care for her."

"I'm sure he does. In his sick little way."

"And what about you!" His over protection father mode got the best of him. He jabbed his finger in the air at Butch, "You talk like you care for Jolene yet here you are hiding down in the vault's lowest level with your tail between your legs? If you cared for her you would tell her or something! She can't continue to stay with him if this is true!"

Fiercely Butch threw his drink against the wall, it shattered spraying the little group with liquor and tiny bits of glass. He came at James shoving him hard. "I love your daughter." SHOVE "but that shit fuck of an Overseer" SHOVE "has warned the both of us not to see each other or try to contact each other" SHOVE " or I'll end up in the Core indefinitely." SHOVE. He turned and circled, James braced for a swing that didn't come, "Which is why he can't know you were here because he may think you were bringing a message from her." If only he was, then maybe his torment would lessen if just a little.

The whole bay went completely still. James reeled from the assault and stood collecting himself as Butch headed to the crate of beer. He grabbed one, opened it, and flopped back unto the sofa. After a few moments James joined him. "The things you have told me tonight I…I'm not sure I can believe them all but if any of this is true I…Jolene…" he would need to ask her but he also needed to get back to the reason he was here in the first place. "You said you know where the G.E.C.K is?"

Butch sighed and shook his head. He wiped his palm over his eyes composing himself.

"Do you plan on sharing this information with me tonight?"

Butch pulled a data pad from his jacket, tapped the screen a few times and handed it to him.

James was looking at a picture of himself holding his baby daughter. "What's this?"

Butch leaned toward James and pointed to the picture, "That is the very first still of you here in the vault."

Paul and Wally brought their chairs over and sat for the first time during the evenings palaver. Butch had spoken quietly and they wanted to hear.

"The first?"

"Yes James, the reason there isn't any information on you and Jo before this day is because you didn't exist until you walked through the vault door."

James was silent for a moment, could he really know? "How could you think such an irrational thing, we are all from the vault."

Butch chuckled, so sure of himself. "There isn't anything irrational about this in fact it's probably the most rational thing we've discussed tonight."

James just sat staring at the picture. That had been so long ago. He had come through Megaton thinking he might have to stay there but he tried the vault. That was the safest place for his daughter. It was pure luck that they were in disparate need for a doctor. "But how?"

"It's your skin color James. The man in the picture has been under a great deal of radiation, solar radiation, you can't get that inside a vault. That, plus your missing files and lack of any vid images of the two of you until that day. Even your jumpsuit looks crisp and clean. It's so obvious I don't know why it took me so long to piece together."

Again James sat staring. "So what does this have to do with the G.E.C.K.?"

Wally piped in, "So you mean it…you really came from…outside?"

"Look I'm not saying I did or I didn't okay. Who all has seen this?"

"Just the three of us," Butch said. "If this got out you could have total anarchy on your hands. I'm not sure how you covered it up in the first place."

"Exactly…if I came from the outside don't you think there would be others who know? Anyway I don't see what this has to do with my project."

"There is no purpose for a water purifier here in the vault. Only if you were planning on leaving does this project even begin to make sense, which is another reason I believe you came from the outside."

James stood and then sat back down. "Where is it?"

Here it was the climax of the evening."I tell you only if you take me with you when you leave."

James sat staring hard at Butch, then grazing his eyes over the other two before he spoke. "Fuck it… you've thrown a lot of information at me tonight that I need to think about. I don't know if I can trust any of you. You say you are working for Al well maybe this is some set up to get me in trouble. Damn it." He suddenly needed to leave. This situation was getting too uncomfortable for him. He was so close to finishing he didn't need to get thrown in the Core for any length of time. He stood nervously, "I…I need to go."

They all stood.

"You're free to go. Get your tracker fixed tomorrow. If you need to see me again, see Carl, Stanley's apprentice first." James started for the door. "Oh and James, tell Jo I'm sorry."


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: Conundrums **

James tried to retire to his room but he couldn't get to sleep. Everything Butch told him played over and over in his head. Were the Tunnel Snakes really working for the Overseer? Did Jonas have an unhealthy obsession for his daughter? Was Jonas being black-mailed by Al? Was Al really manipulating people for his own gain? Did Al know all about Project Purity?

Hadn't James suspected Al's motives from day one? He needed to get to the bottom of this tangled mess. He rolled and dropped his feet to the floor instinctively landing in his jumpsuit's legs. He pulled them zipping up as he stood. So many years as the vaults doctor required he be ready in an instant. Looking back it seemed the time had passed so quickly. It felt not so long ago that he had made the trip to Megaton in search of Vault 101's door.

~~oOo~~

He had been trying to raise someone for weeks on the vault's intercom outside its massive metal door. He'd spent three weeks traversing the mountainside looking for the cave to Vault 101. Once he found it he tried the microphone thinking he would quickly get a reply. To his dismay things were not going to be that easy. He spent the better part of that first day repeating over and over his request for entry. Eventually he set up a small camp, clearing away the dry, broken bones of previous sanctuary seekers. He eventually had to resupply in Megaton several times and became a regular at Moriarty's. He had pleaded for over a month before a voice replied.

He could understand their mistrust of him or anything outside the vault so he worked slowly, carefully trying to build it. It took another month before they opened up and only after he had agreed to lead an expedition to this town of Megaton he spoke of.

He showed a handful of people around, introducing them to a few residents and educating them on outside living. The biggest thing going for him was the death of their doctor. Once he proved he really did have medical skills his place in the vault was secure.

He warned them that others may try to force themselves into the vault. Not everyone, not even the people of Megaton could be trusted. They wanted to explore anyway.

Al was against it from the start. They were never to have opened the vault. But a few leaders on the governing board disagreed. They pointed to James as a perfect example as to why they needed to explore the outside. James thought Al looked a little too pleased to see them go.

They never returned.

Another party was sent to search for them, which contained the rest of Al's opposition. After the loss of both expositions people were afraid, they'd lost loved ones. Al comforted them, they listened and James buried his head. With some fear propaganda the vault was sealed shut and according to Al no one would ever come in or out again.

He understood Al's fears, they were justified to an extent but James wondered about his means and motives. He didn't trouble himself worrying about it though because he was too happy having gained entrance and succeeding in his goal of securing a safe place for his daughter to grow up.

He was given a place to live and an assistant to train. He was told not to speak of his life outside the vault to anyone, ever. At the time James had been happy to forget.

~~oOo~~

Now that he'd buried his head soundly for the past twenty years the situation seemed to have worsened considerably. James had thought the Overseer's only motivation was to keep the vault sealed. Had he had others all along? Had he simply gotten drunk on power because the governing board never rebuilt to its former self? Whatever it was, if Butch was telling the truth Alphonse could have his hands on anything and everything he wanted.

He and Al had never been friends. They had an un-trusting professional relationship at best. A visit in the dead of night was probably not in his best interest but he needed answers. He couldn't let it wait 'till morning because if Al's connections were as good as Butch said, by then he would expect a visit. The time to pay Al a visit was now.

He buzzed the door to Al's quarters and flashed back to the cave entrance twenty years ago. What if he wouldn't see him? He knew it was late, early whatever, but he needed to catch Al off guard. Doubting everything he buzzed again.

The door swished open and Alphonse stood dressed in a robe and slippers looking as if he'd been relaxing by a simulated fire with a cigar instead of awaken at an unsavory hour by a man he thought little of.

James was taken aback by this.

"James," Al sang, "won't you please come in? Have a seat." He gestured.

James was suddenly reluctant to enter and more unsure about this whole visit.

"I only ask that you keep your voice down." Al went on, "my daughter has amazingly not awakened by your rude late night visit." He turned toward the bar, "Would you like a night cap?"

James declined and took a seat on the sofa in the same spot his daughter had been when the Overseer had whispered in her ear.

"Let's see what could James have come to call about at such an early hour?" Al spoke as he fixed himself a drink. He turned back to the room drink in hand. "Could it be regarding his little project? I say little only to be condescending because the project is in actuality quite monumental, inspiring in fact. A selfless feat that you toiled away at for many, many years, neglecting Jolene as she struggled through her teenage years only to be stopped by one very important piece of the puzzle something called a G.E.C.K. I believed."

Al sat, not on the sofa as he had with Jolene but on an adjoining armchair, swirling his glass and taking a sip. "Mmmm you sure you won't reconsider the drink?"

James just shook his head in shock. He knew, damn it he really knew. Trying not to let the Overseer under his skin he put on his game face. He was angry, but he wouldn't show Al that, wouldn't let him see he'd gotten to him.

"Well, Alphonse since you know so much about my project, would you care to tell me if it's here in the vault?" Would he believe anything Al told him?

"I'm going to assume James that the reason your tracker chip isn't working is because you were searching for this G.E.C.K. and not other nefarious reasons. I'm going to have to request you get that fixed first thing. I wouldn't want you to go traipsing around in the vault's basements and get bit by some poisonous vermin and possibly die down there unable to finish your big quest."

"My tracker?" he'd nearly forgotten.

"Yes James, don't insult my intelligence. When someone rings at your door in the middle of the night surly you attempt to see who it is?"

James attempted to rein in his anger. Doing his best to add no inflection, "Right then, so tell me where the G.E.C.K. is and I won't need to be traipsing around any longer."

"Are you threatening me James? I would hope that not be the case because I am more than willing to help you along." Al watched James' surprise. He enjoyed catching him off guard.

"Help me? How? Why would you help me?" Damn it he hadn't expected this.

"Because James, it would mean I would finally be rid of you. You should never have come into my vault. Never. Your G.E.C.K. isn't here. Leave already and go look for it elsewhere." He walked back to the bar to refill his drink.

"You would simply let me go?"

"Nothing is ever simple, no, but I will not make you stay."

No, it wouldn't be simple James was sure. Nevertheless, the Overseer probably had some cover story all set to go. He could really pack up his things and go then, huh. If Butch was telling the truth about Al knowing about his project then what of Jolene being used as a pawn. "What of my daughter? She is also from the outside. Don't you want her gone too?"

"Your daughter doesn't know that. She stays."

"But what if she does know?" If he doesn't need her Al won't care if she leaves with me.

"She stays." Al glared at him.

Did he dare push him further? With his refusal James knew Jolene was important to him somehow. He didn't want to give away too much. Al was willing to let him go, go freely with no fighting his way out but what of the G.E.C.K.? He wanted to find out more. "Where is it then? If it's not here then where?"

"I don't know where it is. All I know is it's not here."

"You're lying." James jumped off the sofa, so much for that game face. Butch told him Al might know. "Tell me where it is or my daughter goes with me." How badly was she needed? How badly did Al want him gone? How much did he know?

Al leaned against the bar, crossed his legs and unequivocally stated, "Don't threaten me or you'll never see the light of day ever again. It's. Not. Here. You are welcome to go, _encouraged_ to even but only you. You try to take Jolene and I can't promise safe passage."

Al wasn't budging. Frustrated James headed for the door. He turned back and stated dryly. "I'm not leaving until I know where it is."

"Don't take too long James, don't take too long."

Watching furiously as Al nonchalantly stirred his drink, James let the door close behind him.

~~oOo~~

After sometime pacing the vault to cool down, he judged it a reasonable hour to knock on Jolene's door, well, mostly reasonable. Jonas probably wouldn't be there even if he had slept over. The vault still maintained an old fashion set of ideas and they were only engaged, not married. You didn't carry on that way until you were married. Once they were marred though James was prepared to move into Jonas' place, whenever that was.

He heard her stir and ask who was there. "It's me honey," and tried the door. It was unlocked another sign that Jonas wasn't there. He entered and closed the door locking it behind him.

"Dad, Wha?" He heard her fumbling in the dark. "Don't turn on the light."

Standing by the door he waited. He heard her shuffle around in the dark and then climb back into bed. A small light flicked on next to her bed.

She was sitting up with a robe on, legs under the covers. She looked so much like her mother. Maybe that was why he didn't want her to go with him. He couldn't stand the idea of losing her out in the waste. It would be like losing Catherine all over again. He sat on the bed next to her doctor/patient style.

"I had an interesting visit tonight." Actually he'd had two but he didn't think she needed to know about the Overseer's.

"You're not the only one, except I think mine is more an early morning visit, very early." She smiled at him and yawned.

"I saw Butch and he told me some things." He watched her react. She stiffened then carefully relaxed.

She pulled her knees up slowly, protectively and stared at him a few moments. She let her heart settle down before asking, "Why?"

"First off, he wanted me to tell you he is sorry."

"Dad…" she choked back tears, happy to hear something from Butch no matter what it was and afraid for her father; he didn't know what he was getting into."You don't know what you are doing. You can't…" she broke off composing herself.

"It's okay honey my chip is still broken, I haven't gone to a tech yet."_ And when I do go I'll be taking Butch's advice_. "He told me the Overseer doesn't want the two of you to have any contact."

She sat staring at him a moment with a look of puzzled fear and confusion. She opened her mouth to say something then closed it again. He touched the top if her knee concerned.

"Honey, are you alright?"

Then her face tightened, "what's he sorry for?"

"Well, that I am not certain. I think he kind of felt you would know. He cares for you and is quite concerned about you."

He saw her eyes pool up before she launched herself at him gripping him in a tight hug. "I was afraid after he threw me out that he didn't care, didn't want to have anything to do with me. I tried to message him later, after you and I talked but the Overseer…"

He hushed her and squeezed her in his arms. He never tired of comforting her.

She calmed and sat back against the headboard wiping her eyes. "Why dad? Why did you see him?"

"It wasn't intentional, I just ran into him but that's not important, what is, are the things he told me. Did you know that the Tunnel Snakes work for the Overseer?"

"Yes dad, but it's not what you think. What kind of visit did you two have?"

"He sort of touched on it being a 'lesser of two evils', what did he mean?"

"It's not really my place to say, if he didn't tell you…" she twisted the covers nervously.

"Butch was surprised you hadn't told me already. So tell me now honey, what's it going to hurt?"

Happy to share her secret and inform her father the dangers he could be in, she told him.

"So all those boys…?" He shook his head in discuss.

"Not all of them but the first, the oldest ones anyway."

"And Al has them making all the liquor for bribes and pay offs?"

"Among other things. Dad the Overseer, he told me if I… 'visited' him that I wouldn't have to spend time in the Core and now he wants me to be with Jonas for some reason. I can only imagine what he has made other people do."

"Jolene! Please tell me you didn't!"

"No! Dad are you crazy? But I bet I wasn't the only one he offered that to. That man really makes my skin crawl."

James had only wished he'd known this two hours ago, well, maybe it was a good thing he didn't. "I don't want to frighten you Jolene but I think he's blackmailing Jonas for something. I think he knew Jonas wanted to marry you and so he figured out a way to get you two together, for his sake."

"What? Why Jonas? He's so very kind. I know he cares about me a great deal but I…I just don't think i love him." She went back to twisting the covers.

"You've agreed to marry him Jolene. You're expected to have a wedding. You haven't planned anything yet have you?"

"Yeah about that…I haven't really been able to wrap my head around that one."

"He'll want children too Jolene. Have you thought of that?"

She bent her head and shook it. "Maybe I can confront him and find out what he is doing for Al. Maybe after we figure this all out I wont have to marry him."

"No Jolene, don't do anything to make him think you know about his and Al's arrangement. You don't want to make things worse for you or possibly Butch do you?

She shook her head no. He stood and kissed her on the head. His daughter would never be completely happy with Jonas. He wasn't sure how long she could keep up this complacency. Right now she was heartbroken and Jonas was the bandage, how long that bandage would hold was anyone's guess.

"Be careful honey. I'm going to see if I can't find out."

"You be careful too and thanks for the message from Butch. It means a lot." She squeezed his hand as he got up to go.

~~oOo~~

James met Carl before Stanley came in that morning for his tracker chip fix. When he was done he messaged Jonas for a breakfast date. He offered to bring hot meals from the cafeteria.

Jonas helped James remove the plates from the tray and place them onto his little round table in the small kitchenette.

"What's the occasion?" Jonas asked loading up his fork. "Not that I'm complaining. I could get used to home delivered meals."

"Nothing special. I couldn't sleep really and since we're practically family…"

"Well thanks Dad." Jonas chuckled.

"Don't push it Pal." They settled into their breakfasts. "So how are the wedding plans going? Have you set a date?"

"That," He pointed with his fork, "is something you're going to have to bother your daughter to find out. Every time I bring it up she has excuses, says she's too busy or she doesn't feel well." Then Jonas quieted and seemed to reflect, "Sometimes I wonder if she isn't avoiding it all together."

"Do you think she's got cold feet?"

"I don't know. She hasn't given me any reason to think she doubts her decision. I mean, I'm not sure how comfortable you are with it but the 'other' areas in our relationship are fantastic." He grinned over at James.

James cleared his throat, "A yeah I don't think I need to know more."

"I keep telling her to take time off, go see Amata she'd help out. Then I think maybe she doesn't want any fuss made so I suggested we could, the three of us have a simple ceremony in Al's office. Well, she wasn't having any of that I can tell you. So I sit before you completely and blissfully clueless." He jammed another bit of food into his face.

'Al?' James had never heard Jonas refer to the Overseer's as such. Since when had Jonas gotten on first name basis with the Overseer? He was the Overseer, with a capital 'O' after all. Unless you were on the board or a close friend, calling him anything else was simply disrespectful. What had changed in Jonas' relationship to Alphonse Almodovar?

"You'll never guess who I ran into last night, which by the way is the main reason I didn't sleep so well."

"Oh really, who?"

"Butch DeLoria." James watched Jonas' expression from the top if his glass. It went from shock to what appeared to be discomfort maybe pain only to settle on open curiosity.

"I had a run in with that boy once. He was having his way with Jolene in the hall. She was having none of it. I put him in his place though. I think that's when she started to see he wasn't all that she thought. I hope your meeting wasn't as painful."

James didn't buy this story in the least. Butch was a foot taller if not wider and Jonas' spine a lot yellower. "He didn't attack me. He told me some things that upset me a great deal."

Jonas paused mid chew and stuffed his food to the side of his face, "Well I hope you didn't let it upset you too much, I mean consider the source."

"I have a great deal." He watched Jonas closely as he delivered the next line, "He accused you of acquiring naked stills of my daughter from the Core locker room."

He was sure Jonas' shoulders flinch before looking up from his plate. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Wow, I knew he was probably upset with Jolene choosing me over him, but to make up a story like that and then tell you, her father? I mean what was he really expecting you to do?" Jonas tried to sound nonchalant and failed as his voice climbed just a little, "You didn't say anything to Jolene did you?"

Ignoring that last bit, James went on, "He also seems to think the Overseer is blackmailing you."

At this news Jonas stopped chewing altogether, paused and then started again slowly, seeming to want to make his last bite last long enough for him to formulate a response. When he finally swallowed and taken a drink to wash it down he said, "No kidding?"

James stared aghast, "That's all you have to say? Let me tell you Jonas, he provided quite a compelling argument. He showed me the stills and all you have to say is 'no kidding'? I'm _trying_ to get a feel of the situation here. I've worked with you for years and you've pined over my daughter for half of them. It's possible that maybe you did get those stills and the Overseer found out. I'm not stupid, nor blind, I know my daughter's beautiful, I know you haven't dated much at all throughout the years. I'm a man and I know stills surface of other women. I hated to think this or say it but why should my daughter be any different? So just maybe Alphonse found out and has you over a barrel, maybe. So here I am, asking as a friend, not as a parent, as a long time friend, is there anything, _anything_ at all you want to tell me or I can help you out with, anything?"

Jonas sat staring wide eyed at his friend; a friend who had shared his most private project and his plan of exodus with him at this very table and struggled with his decision.

"I…I…James."

Then he thought of Al and his omnipotent control and James leaving or at least his attempt to. What could James really do or say? He would probably end up in the Core alongside James and poor Jolene the only Doc left to deal with Al all alone. Jonas wasn't about to risk it.

"I can't believe you would be taken in by that rouge. The level he would stoop to win Jolene back and who could blame him? I am an extremely lucky man and for you to think I would tarnish what Jolene and I have together by scanning or acquiring any promiscuous stills of her. James please, my friend, I know your concern for your daughter makes this hard but don't let what he said haunt you. He is a crafty thug that's all."

James watched his almost convincing speech. Maybe, _maybe_ Butch was devious. Maybe he was bed fellows with Al convincingly weaving a story for him and his daughter. He just wasn't sure. Damn it. He wanted to ring the location of his G.E.C.K. from someone's neck and be the Hell out of here. He didn't want this drama. He didn't have time to solve mysteries, not anymore. Project Purity would no longer wait. But he couldn't leave Jolene here, not in the hands of what may be an obsessive lover and an insane Overseer. Did he have a choice here? No. He would have to find out what Jonas is up to or take her with him but right now the dangers outside were still larger than the dangers within the vault.

"I'm sorry Jonas. It's just seeing those stills and thinking maybe you had them. I don't know, I guess I went all 'Dad' on you."

"James, pal, it's fine, I totally understand." He patted James on the back, "forget about it.

_'Not hardly_,' James thought.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31: All Hope is Lost**

Jolene stood fumbling, touching but not really looking at the items upon the tray. What had Jonas just ask her to fetch? She was so flustered she couldn't even remember what she had been looking for. She forced herself to take a slow deep breath.

He'd done it. Jonas had really done it.

When Jonas had asked her to go get whatever she was supposed to be getting right now, she had walked to the other side of the partition, grabbed a scalpel off the nearby tray and cut a small slit in the curtain. He'd been getting ready to do the internal examination part of Mrs. Samuel's yearly check-up. She heard him tell Mrs. Samuel that the gel would be a little cold and that's when he'd done it. Jolene had watched as he'd taken a syringe from his pocket and squeezed the contents into Mrs. Samuel. What was he doing? Putting the syringe back into his lab pocket he preceded with the palpation but barley entered her. It was like he was afraid to get any on him. This was not a proper examination. She almost burst from her cover chastising him. What had happed to all those lessons on following proper procedures? How could he violate everything he had taught her?

She let the hole close. She began opening and closing some drawers so he'd think she was still looking for something while she tried to gather her thoughts; He'd put something into her? What was Jonas doing? What was he thinking?

The day after her father's midnight visit he came to her with his plan. He was going to start working in the clinic to keep an eye on Jonas. No, she told him she would do it. It would be suspicious if he had all of a sudden started showing up for work. Her father insisted stating she could take off to plan her wedding and he would fill in for her. No, she wouldn't do that either. Who knew what Jonas was doing? How could she commit to marrying him without knowing what he was capable of? There was also that little tidbit her father had shared about Butch being sorry. She still had hope for the two of them.

She had wanted desperately to contact Butch after that night. Butch didn't hate her after all. Instead he was sorry, which meant that he still cared. She pushed all thoughts of Butch aside; thoughts of his hands, and lips upon her skin. No. No she needed to focus here. She needed to get that syringe from Jonas. She would never get to Butch if she couldn't get this craziness figured out.

"Jolene honey, what are you doing over there?"

She jumped and looked up as Jonas walked around the curtain. "I was looking …" in one hand she had a reflex hammer and in the other a bone saw.

"Dear, Mrs. Samuel just left. With all the racket you were making, I'm not surprised you didn't hear."

"I'm sorry it's just, I swear I set your station up correctly and can't believe I missed anything."

He smiled at her taking the instruments from her hands and setting them down. "Has anyone told you how cute you look when you're flustered?" He brought her into his arms and gave her a little kiss.

"No, but um you just did." she kissed him back seductively.

"No, no, you don't, I already told you I had some work to do tonight for your father."

The syringe, she needed to get her hands on that syringe.

She pulled on the collar of his lab coat and kissed him deeper.

"Jolene, honey."

"Let's do it in here."

"Here? This room is sterile and we work here with patients."

"We're closed. All the patients are gone."

"But your father…"

She just gave him a look and slowly started to unzip his jump suit, sliding her hand over his T-shirt and around his back she pulled herself closer to him. She ran her fingers through his hair, looked up at him and asked, "Wanna play Doctor?"

"What?"

"Here, you have a seat up on the examining table." She tugged him over and patted the table top. "The Doctor will be here shortly."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"No, don't be silly. Doctor Luscious will be with you soon. Just get comfortable." She helped him off with his lab coat, draping it over her arm.

"Wait, Jolene…" He reached for it but she smiled and pressed her hand against his chest.

"Now you need to relax Mr. Palmer, while Doctor Luscious prepares for your exam."

He thought of that syringe in his lab coat pocket but throwing a fit about her taking his coat would only make her wonder what the big deal was and probably ruin this little kinky affair. He didn't want to do that. Besides it was only an empty syringe, even if she found it why would she be suspicious of anything? She would probably just think he had been lazy or absent minded about its proper disposal. He lay back, putting his hands behind his head and watched her look at him slyly as she walked behind the privacy curtain.

"You are the last patient of the day Mr. Palmer. I'm not sure where Doctor Luscious ran off to but I can't stay and I need to lock up." She dimmed the lights and locked the door. Stepping behind a privacy curtain, she took off everything but her lab coat and his lab coat lay on a chair, minus one dirty syringe. She had exchanged it with another one hoping he wouldn't retrieve it anytime soon. "The Doctor will be along shortly."

Jonas watched as she came around the privacy curtain. She had wrapped up her hair quickly with only a few strands hanging down. She carried a data pad and looked all business like from the neck up. In the other direction she was all wet dream material. Three buttons were the only thing between him and her naked skin. The buttons started just above her navel and ended shortly after, just barely hiding her essentials. He sat up at the end of the table for a better look.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting Mr…," she looked down at the pad, "Palmer. I was busy with another patient. He was a bit…harder than most." She blew a puff of air at her hair hanging down. "Anyway it seems Miss Prim has left for the day without preparing you properly for my examination. I will need to speak to her about that later." She spoke of her alter ego as she reached across Jonas' lap to set the pad down on a nearby tray. Squeezing his thigh as she pressed herself back up and averting his hand as it reached to squeeze her exposed ass. She stood in front of him hands on her hips."Now for a complete examination I need you naked, Mr. Palmer. Do you have a problem with that?

"No. No, I'm ok with that." He reached down and began to remove his boots. He watched her watching him, looking all impatient and hot. She fanned the collar of her coat as he stood and began to unzip his jumpsuit.

"Do you need me to leave while you disrobe?"

"Oh no, you are very welcome to stay." He stepped out of the legs pausing to stand in his briefs before her.

She smiled slowly and crossed her arms then gestured, "They need to go too."

"Of course they do." They should have done this roll playing thing a lot sooner. Sliding them off he felt the cool air on his nakedness and began to feel a little vulnerable. To cover his awkwardness he smugly handed them to her.

She took them from his hands. "You'll need to lie back down." As he sat and scooted back she turned from him, bent at the waist and swayed her hips back and forth as she plunked his clothes to the floor.

Jonas stared at her bare ass as he lay back becoming aroused and very aware of his arousal jutting itself upright as he lay back.

She stood and turned smiling at him approvingly. "So your chart states you've been having these…urges?" She reached for a tube on the tray. "Sometimes these urges are so intense you are overcome and need to….touch yourself. Is this correct?"

"Ah yeah. They are over powering."

"Well, let's see if we can't help you cope." She squirted the contents of the tube on his chest and began to rub the oily liquid slowly over his body. "This should help you relax a bit. Mmmm you're so tense. Here let me see if this will help." She climbed onto the table straddling his thighs. "There now I can really rub these muscles."  
She slowly rubbed the oil over his firm chest and down his stomach all the while he stared down her lab coat at her peek-a-boo breast and felt her pubs tickle his legs very close to his increasingly erect penis.

"Oh, this feels soo good, don't you think?" She squeezed some oil between her breasts and leaned over him, her hands on the table at his side. "Here you try."

He eagerly obliged by rubbing the oil over and around her breasts, down her side, across her chest, over her shoulders and back to the breasts again. She moaned and he felt her press her hips into him. The doctor liked. He cupped her breast and lifted his head to take it into his mouth when she pressed him back to the table and began adjusting her coat.

"Well," she took a moment to compose herself. "Let's see if you've 'relaxed' any." Looking down at his stiff cock, she shook her head. "No. this doesn't seem to be working. We will need to apply more direct measures." Carefully she climbed off.

"Direct measures huh?" He smirked at her. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes there is in fact. You need to lay perfectly still Mr. Palmer." She brought up a strap, one of four attached to the table used to restrain dangerous patients. She reached across his chest to gather its pair on the opposite side, pressing herself against him.

"Oh really, are these completely necessary? What if I promise not to move a muscle?" He felt a little apprehensive about being strapped down.

"Many have said those very same words to me but no matter how hard they try they always give into their urges. No, I need to subject you to unbearable sensations in order to be sure this treatment works." She strapped the second one over his stomach completely securing his arms at his sides. "You want to get better don't you?"

"Yes, oh yes, I need to get better."

"Good." She slid to his waist and gripped his stiffness firmly. Jonas gasped. "Yes, you seem to have a very bad case here." She stroked it slowly. "I am very glad you came to me."

"Oh shit, so am I." He strained against his straps feeling helpless and enjoying the power she had over him.

"Now in order to do this correctly we need to make sure you release at a very critical point and no sooner. Do you understand?"

"Uh huh." He moaned, not exactly listening.

She started playing with his balls. "I think I need a closer look." Again she climbed on the table and spread his legs so they hung from the table at his knees. Sitting between them on her knees she gripped his penis like she would a control lever on a computer. "Now Mr. Palmer I'm going to apply some direct moist stimulation. This may be difficult but this is for your own good. Are you ready?"

"Fuck yeah."

"Good, good. Please try to stay still." Sliding down the table she laid on her stomach and curled her legs up behind her. Scooting up to him on her elbows she began to put his cock into her mouth. She took all of him in slowly, several times back and forth. Then she buried her face in his balls licking, sucking, and nibbling tender areas. Gripping his hips she pulled up to her knees and sucked his cock faster and faster.

"Oh, oh yes Jolene." As she sucked he struggled to force himself into her. Bending his knees he pressed his feet to the table and thrust his hips against her.

Suddenly she stopped and quickly slid to the floor. "Someone's not doing his best to lay still."

"Jolene please, this was fun but I…I need you."

"I'm not sure who this _Jolene_ is but regardless I agree you need me. That is why you scheduled a visit today is it not? We seem to be making good progress except you keep moving." She took hold of the strap over his thighs.

"Jolene, please," He begged, "Please let me out I…I need to touch you. I…this was fun but…I want to fuck you."

"My name is Doctor Luscious and if you insist on calling me Jolene I will not climb on top of your penis and ride you so hard you scream when you release. Now do you want to be rid of these urges or not?"

"Yes, yes please Doctor Luscious please just….help me."

She slowly unbuttoned the coat and let it fall to the floor. He watched painfully wanting to pull her to him. Why was she moving so slowly? He watched as she picked up the tube of oil and positioned herself over his aching hardness. She grabbed his cock and slowly guiding it into her.

"Yes, yes this is what I need."

She rocked on him feeling his hardness press inside her. Taking the tube she squirted more oil and rubbed it on her naked body as he watched and squirmed under her. She pressed back harder.

He felt good. She was enjoying this power. Pressing his chest with her hands, she ground on him as her arousal rose. "Do you feel it?" She asked as she looked down at him. He could only shake his head. "Feels so good doesn't it? Oh. Yeah." She reached around and tickled his balls.

"Oh yes...don't stop."

"No we need to do this my way." She rubbed her hands over her body, grinding, quicker . "Oh I think this is going to work nicely." Gripping his shoulders, she thrust harder picking up speed.

"Oh my yes…yes baby don't stop."

She squealed as she came feeling his hardness inside her while he tried to thrust up to meet her as he burst along with her.

As she recovered she looked down at him. Their eyes met and they burst into laughter.

"Did you like?'

"Shit yeah, now get me out of these damn things."

~~oOo~~

Well, she had the syringe.

Jonas had gone blissfully back to his quarters carrying his lab coat. She noticed he had checked the pocket by touching it on the outside before he left. She needed to work quickly. Who knew when she'd be found out?

What had he squirted into Mrs. Samuel's vagina? Donning a pair of rubber gloves she placed the evidence next to a microscope on the counter and meticulously prepared a slide. Taking the syringe apart, she was more relieved than shocked by what she found. She could only hope there wasn't anything mixed with the creamy white substance that would endanger Mrs. Samuel's life.

Her suspicions of the white cream were confirmed with a quick glance through the microscope's lens but who's sperm and why? Well duh, someone wanted to impregnate Mrs. Samuel. Why Mrs. Samuel and was she the only one?

She couldn't waist time pondering. She needed to gather facts before Jonas came running back in here catching her red handed. Okay, so she'd confirmed that it was in fact semen, now she needed to know if there was anything else mixed with it; Mrs. Samuel being in mortal danger a priority at the moment. Although, Jolene thought, if Mrs. Samuel wasn't alone in being injected and because there had been no deaths lately, she probably wasn't in a life threatening situation. Erring on the safe side she prepared a sample for toxicology testing. After inserting it into the computer, she prepared to do a DNA check to see whose little sperm were swimming around in there.

The DNA test finished quickly. So they were the almighty Overseer's puppies swimming around in the dish, what the hell was he up to now?

She got up from the stool and cleaned automatically while waiting on the toxicology report to finish. Her mind raced with the puzzle before her.

Well let's go with the basics, Al obviously wants a baby. Okay, so why not do it the old fashioned way? Sex is fun right? Well history tells her the sex Al thinks is fun doesn't make babies.

Then what's so special about Mrs. Samuel? She looks nothing like Al. She's married. If she gets pregnant it wouldn't be a big shocker but that's not to say some suspicion wouldn't arise once the baby was born, depending on the dominant genes. So, Al isn't too concerned with breaking up a marriage. Furthermore, how could he be certain Mrs. Samuel would be fertilized? She won't be back for another year for her check up. Why go through all the trouble for one shot? It didn't make since.

She thought back to all the pelvic exams she'd been present at. The standard procedure was for her to stay present and assist but Jonas had started to forget things. Had it been with everyone? No, just Mrs. Samuel, Mrs. Holden, Mrs. Kurt and Jonie. They were all married except Jonie, but everyone knew she'd been seeing Don for almost a year now. Only the women in relationships were injected because getting pregnant wouldn't be that suspicious. Sure all females had the birth control implants but they were never 100%, especially after the age of thirty or so. Vault population and population control was a big deal. They practically drilled family values and procreation into their heads in Vault Survival 101 at school.

The toxicology machine dinged making her jump. The green light came on, followed by a print out from its tiny slot. She ripped off the short paper and read it. Nothing, nothing but Alphonse sperm and they seemed fairly healthy.

So that was it plain and simple, Al wanted a child. Not a wife or family just a child. Why did any man want a child if for no other reason than to carry on his name? A girl baby couldn't do that because they changed their names in marriage, but wouldn't this boy be the child of whose ever family he was born into? Would Al take the baby right away or wait 'till it was older? Crap, he would have years to lay out his plan if he hadn't done so already. How many woman would he inject with his sperm in order to get the boy he wanted? Any number of things could happen to any number of people in that time.

Shit.

Amata was not a boy. She couldn't carry on her father's name. He must have no intention of making her the next Overseer. Al was crafting a successor, one that would be just as devious as he.

She felt all the essence of hope she'd been holding onto until now, just slip out from under her skin. She got a quick chill and clutched her arms. She hadn't realized how much she'd been holding onto that hope. Hope that one day Amata would be Overseer and the Tunnel Snakes wouldn't have to play lap dogs any more. Hope that the Security guards wouldn't look down their noses at you. Hope that she could be with Butch freely without being persecuted. Hope that the system would change. But the fact was it wasn't going to change. Al wasn't going to let it. He liked it just the way it was.

No.

She dropped down onto one of the little wheeled stools in defeat. She couldn't do this. She'd played house with Jonas grasping tight to hope that she'd really be with Butch someday but one minute ago that hope just got sucked out the air vents.

She couldn't be Mrs. Jonas Palmer for real. No, she couldn't. What was she going to do? She needed to calm down and think it through. She was important in Al's little scheme. Al needed her to play nice with Jonas so he'd make Al's little babies, but what if she didn't want to play nice?

She needed to be very careful with this. Al could simply throw her in the Core and leave her but would Jonas play then? What if she went to Jonas with what she knew? Damn it, she had to be clever. She finished cleaning up as she began a formula for her happiness.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32: The Plan**

Jolene approached Al's office. Her heart was racing. This was stupid she told herself. No, No it wasn't, she replied. What else was she going to do? Be happy with Jonas the rest of her life, surrounded by little Overseers everywhere you look?

No.

She missed Butch. Loved Butch. She needed to be with him. She could see no other way short of killing Al and causing total anarchy within the vault. This crazy idea needed to work.

His door swished open as she reached for the intercom, startling her.

"Come in. Come in Jolene, so good to see you again." Al had been sitting with his feet up at his desk and raised to greet her.

She avoided his greeting by quickly walking toward the round window. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she stared out over the vault that was her home, her prison. Had it really come to be that, a prison? She was not one to consider suicide, time changed every situation, but people had walked through a door to get into the vault couldn't you walk out too? This hadn't been the first time the idea crossed her mind tonight but it was simply too fantastical. No one could live outside that was why they lived in here. Right?

Al cleared his throat behind her.

Enough day dreaming. She kept her eyes on the window as she spoke so as not to be intimidated by his stare. "I know what you have Jonas doing." She took the syringe wrapped in a rubber glove out of her pocket and turned slowly to face him. She held it up for him to see for a moment, her hand shaking, then tossed it unto a nearby table. "I have a proposition for you," she paused gathering her courage, "but I want something in return."

He studied her a moment then looked to the table with the syringe. He asked suspiciously, "What did Jonas tell you?"

"He hasn't told me anything. He doesn't know I'm here. No one knows I'm here."

Al relaxed. His plan wasn't in total shambles. "In that case, why don't we sit and you can tell me your proposal? Won't you join me?" He sat in one of the cushy chairs around the tiny table. He would at least humor her after all.

She did. She was happy to get off her feet because her knees were shaking.

"Now, Jolene, I'm all ears." A condescending grin spread across his face as he crossed his legs he watched her over his steepled fingers.

Alright she was on. Sucking in air she almost rose from the chair, thought against it then settled on the edge and began. "Tonight I watched secretly as Jonas took that syringe and inserted the contents into Mrs. Samuel." She paused and swallowed before continuing. "I had noticed odd things happen during every other well woman exam. Things were just not going as smoothly as they should and have in the past, so I kept a watch tonight. I was shocked." Now she did rise and pace, re-living the moment brought back the raw emotions it had stirred within her. "I wanted to confront him, shout at him, but something stopped me. We were professionals we couldn't show unprofessional behavior in front of a patient and what if this was something new, some new procedure he had not explained to me?" She caught herself standing, gesticulating and quickly sat down. It was therapeutic to talk about how she was feeling but she didn't want to use Al for this. Reining in her emotions she went on, "I was able to get the syringe from him and run some tests on it." She swallowed again, her throat felt so dry. She needed the next part to come out un-accusatory. She didn't need him on the defensive. "I know what's in it. I can only surmise you want a child, particularly a boy, and I can completely understand how someone in your position would want to have a son to carry on your legacy but I have a better idea than what you have Jonas doing." She paused and waited for a response a reaction.

He hardly stirred but his gaze was intense. "Go on."

She cleared her throat, "It seems, if I've pieced it together correctly, you have Jonas only inserting your sperm into the married women during their well woman visits." She wouldn't include Jonie to muddy up her point. "At this rate you may or may not have one son in a year at best. What I purpose instead will guarantee you a least two in that same time."

This was a real surprise. She was a surprise. When she had messaged him for this parley, he had envisioned the meeting going in a totally different direction. She was intriguing, resourceful, and enterprising. Reminding him of another particular useful thorn in his side and he could easily deduce what she wanted in return for her 'proposition'.

"Jolene, let me stop you there." he rose and touched her on her shoulder as he passed to gaze out over his vault. "Have you forgotten you've spent time in the Core with a nasty radiation accident thrown in, these other ladies have not?"

"You are shooting in the dark here." She rose in protest but stopped short of approaching him. "We could harvest my eggs, fertilize them, and impregnate me. I could carry two or three at a time." She settled back against the cushioned arm. He had to see this was more advantageous. He had to. Crossing her arms she watched his silent figure against the window. How could he not see the benefits of this? She bit at her bottom lip, frustrated. Pleading her case she tried again, "With a willing host you would have a better chance of conceiving."

"And what of your radiation poisoning?"

"We could test the eggs; monitor the growth of the fetus. If there were any chance of…problems…"

"Abort?" He turned halfway raising an eyebrow at her.

She shook her head.

"If you can't say it how am I to believe you will do it?" There was a tone of impatience in his voice.

"Yes. Yes abort the fetus if necessary." She pushed away from the chair, fumbled with her hands then stuffed them in her pockets.

"And after the children are born, what then?"

"We'll raise them of course. You would have any and all access that you desired. They would be your children after all."

"We?"

"Jonas and I….and you if you wish."

"Jonas and you?" he asked sarcastically. "I didn't think he even knew you were here and yet you have him raising my children. What other things have you commented him to without his knowledge?"

"He…he would need to be told to stop trying to inseminate the other women and I would need his help harvesting my eggs. I …I thought because you got him to help you once…" She had assumed if Al got on board with the idea, he would simply tell Jonas what he needed to do. Shit, she hadn't prepared for this.

"Jolene, Jolene…" His tone was belittling. "You are a beautiful woman and do you know what comes with that beauty?"

She shook her head. He was going to turn this around on her she could almost feel the rug being ripped out from under her feet.

"Power. Power comes with it. And oh I think you know you have power over our Jonas for why else is he helping me now?" He smiled at her and that smile nearly made her sick. "I believe with your crafty womanly ways you will be able to get Jonas to go along with this plan not me."

"But…but my idea helps you. Having a willing host puts your wishes closer to fruition. Why wouldn't you want to make sure it happened?"

"Because Jolene you didn't come to me with this idea to help me or those women or Jonas for that matter. You could have proposed this idea to your future husband and then approached me but you didn't. No, Jolene you came to me because I have something you want that Jonas doesn't have. Something that Jonas doesn't want you to have or want you to want. Tell me I'm right."

She felt the sweat roll down the small of her back. Her hands were clammy. She felt her heart slamming in her chest. _'What is he going to do?'_ She was frozen in place. All she could manage was a slight nod in agreement.

"Say it. Tell me what it is you want so badly."

She could barely get the words out. Her voice cracked when she spoke. Why did she feel so guilty saying it? "Butch."

"Aw yes of course Butch. All of this for him." He spread his arms out to her. "You've got it bad for him don't you? You must, to go to these lengths and I can totally understand. He has quite the magnetism doesn't he?"

She could only nod.

"I'll tell you what I'll do." He settled in behind his desk. "Once you are certainly pregnant with my children I will allow you to see him."

"But!...but that could take months!"

"Indeed. But I have to make sure you are on board with the whole plan now, don't I?" Besides he thought, Jonas would be spineless enough to go along with this idea but Butch certainly would never allow it. If he got wind of what she was doing…

"Now go make nice, or whatever it is you do with your fiancé. I'll be waiting to see if you bring him around and I will certainly want to be present for every step we make. This is my legacy after all."

She was frozen in place with anger. Damn him. Why did he have to make this so difficult? She thought through her options. Fuck it this had to get better right? Wouldn't she have some power over him being the mother of his children? She could be ruthless if she needed to be. She was tired of playing by the rules. She would make this work for her. He wouldn't be around forever.

She walked over to the syringe. "I'll be needing this." She snatched it from the table and turned on him, pointing, "We never met tonight. I'll get Jonas wrapped around this idea and I will conceive your children, but by the Powers if you think you can slink out of your side of the bargain, just remember whose womb they will be sleeping in." She left quickly hoping he wouldn't change his mind after her last little comment.

Time to pay Jonas a visit.

She pounded on Jonas' door.

He answered groggily. "Jolene, honey, what…?"

Pushing past him she stormed into the room. "What were you doing tonight with Mrs. Samuel? Why were you inserting this syringe filled with The Overseer's sperm into her vagina?" She threw it at him. "What are you thinking? What does he have you doing? You…you can't be…can't." Collapsing onto his sofa she thought of all the anguish she'd been through; of all the suffering she had to endure and would continue to endure just to have a few moments of happiness, bringing on tears. She needed to make this performance work. She looked up at him with eyes filling and pleaded, "Jonas, please tell me why?"

He stood frozen staring at her not sure what had just happened. He turned and looked at the syringe filled rubber glove where it lay on the floor after hitting the wall. Had Jolene really found out what he was doing? Then he felt arms wrapping around his waist and her face pressing into his back.

"Jonas honey, talk to me. What has the Overseer made you do?"

He turned in her arms and looked down at her tearful face. Slowly he took it into his hands. She thought she noticed a tremble in them. He stared at her a moment. She watched as he struggled with containing his own tears. "He wants a child. I…" Quickly he pulled away turning from her.

"Jonas?" She reached out to him but he jerked away not allowing her to touch him.

"No! It's terrible what I have done. I…I had no choice. He…" wiping at his face he tried to keep her from looking at him.

She came up close to him and touched his shoulder. When he didn't pull away this time she wrapped her arms around him again. "I know he is an evil man, but he can't be allowed to rape these women by proxy. It's…it's horrible. You can't be a part of this."

"Oh Jolene, honey," leaning back into her he said quietly, "he…he will take you away from me."

"No." She rocked him a little soothing him like you would a baby. "No. I'm not going anywhere. I love you. I really, really love you and we will always be together."

"You don't know." He pulled away again wiping his face. "You don't know what he is capable of. He would do anything to make you not love me."

"Jonas, don't be silly. I will love you no matter what The Overseer throws at us. We are going to be married, together forever. Oh Jonas, I'm sorry. I know I have been putting off this wedding, maybe if I had been less selfish…this…mess wouldn't have happened. Maybe you wouldn't have been so easily influenced by him."

"I…No. No Jolene, don't blame yourself, this is, its all my fault. He came to me saying he would show you…things that would make you angry and then you wouldn't want to be with me. I…I had no choice but to do what he wanted but… now. Now that you know…"

"You will tell him you are going to stop?" She looked at him eagerly. "You can't keep doing this to those women."

"You don't know how much this means to him. He will make me… us do this no matter what. If we don't we will not be allowed to be together. I know this Jolene he has threatened to do this."

She paced the room looking like she was deep in thought. "What if…no, no I…"

"What honey, what is it?" his voice and octave higher filled with hopefulness. He couldn't believe he was actually having this conversation with her and she wasn't storming out shouting something like 'I no longer want to be with you, you scum bag', but instead she was confessing her love to him and their commitment to each other.

"We are soon to be married right? What if we agreed to…to have this child for him?"

Jonas was aghast. "What are you saying?" How could she consider this? He would never allow that man to tarnish his beloved.

"Calm down a minute. Desperate times require desperate measures. I'm saying if you actually believe he will tear us apart to get himself a child why wouldn't he keep us together for the same reason?"

"But honey, you… you can't…_be_ with him. I will not allow it!"

"No. NO I don't want that! We could do 'It' the same way you are now."

He thought for a moment, "I…I don't know…"

"Think about it honey, right now you are attempting to impregnate women, but if we did it we could be sure I would get pregnant. It seems to me his odds are better with us don't you think?"

"I don't know Jolene, He is a difficult man."

"Please tell me you will speak to him about it." She looked at him with her brown, doe eyes. "Please?"

He looked at her for a moment. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and she was going to such lengths to help and stay with him. How did he get so lucky? "Okay, okay Jolene I will speak to him. But don't get your hopes up okay?"

She nodded then said, "Can I say here to night? I...want to have you with me."

"Of course, honey."


	33. Chapter 33

AN 08-12: I changed the whole second half of this chapter with James and Jolene. I feel the story goes better with him thinking she could still be happy in the vault.

* * *

**Chapter 33: Put in Motion**

The next day she began planning the wedding. She made sure Jonas messaged Al asking for a meeting. He' been so nervous she'd almost ripped his arm off to do it on his Pib-Boy herself. She couldn't think too poorly of him though, how was he to know Al was pretty much on board already? Fuck, she hoped the bastard wouldn't change his mind or squeeze some other evil clause in there during the meeting. Part of her wanted to go with Jonas but she knew it was best not to.

She left for Amata's to work out wedding plans. Amata wanted to meet in the library but Jolene couldn't go there without being heartsick. She told Amata her place would be fine. Jo already knew Al wasn't going to be there. She kissed Jonas good bye and told him good luck, doing her best to reassure him. She asked that he message her when he was done.

Two hours later she'd gotten his message. _Two_ hours Al had made him sweat it out. She hurried to his quarters.

"Well?" she was practically ringing her hands in anticipation.

"I don't know Jolene, this whole idea…"

"But did he go for it?"

"Yes, but this is not good for you, not at all. I just don't think you should do this."

"And so who should Jonas, every other married women in the vault? How can it be okay to violate them? I'm not going along with that plan. He's going to do it unless you know of another way around it."

Jolene was upset with him. How could she be when all he was trying to do was take care of her? He didn't like trying to impregnate those women but they were 'those' women and not 'his' Jolene. How could she be so giving of herself? The whole process…

"Jolene honey, you understand this will not be easy. Harvesting your eggs alone will cause you…discomfort and carrying his children…are you really sure?"

"Yes Jonas, Yes I'm sure. We are the doctors here. It's completely controllable. We will be the ones in control for a change." Sometimes he could be so spineless.

Jonas struggled with this plan. If she had only seen the look in Al's eyes when he told him; 'You pump her with every offspring you can harvest from her womb. I may never get this chance again.' How could he put her health on the line like this? How could she? He knew she knew the risk. Was being together really worth this much to her?

She saw the doubt all over his face. "We can determine what's safe and what's not Jonas. The Overseer has no idea. We will tell him, besides," she slipped her hand in his, "I'll have you to watch over me." She kissed him sweetly on the cheek.

"Well he certainly wants to get the ball rolling. He was asking all kinds of questions."

"Like what?" She was worried he'd told Al too much, they needed to keep the upper hand in all this.

"Well, the usual really; what is involved, the procedure, how long for results. He wants this done right away but I explained to him that it would take about month to get eggs harvested from you, but afterwords we could fertilized the eggs. Then we should know a month after that if any have implanted in your womb. He was very adamant that he would not be giving this 'experiment' a lot of his time. If he doesn't see you impregnated in three months he…he seemed to say he would pick another host."

Damn bastard, of course he would have a back-up plan. She sighed heavily, "Well I guess that means we do this and do it right. We can't have him endangering others in the vault. She would have his child. It would be the only leverage she had in this hole in the ground and she would use it for all it was worth.

~~oOo~~

Her father had been very hard to locate these past twenty four hours. She wanted to let him know about Jonas and couldn't exactly message him the information. She had requested to meet him and finally got a response. It was probably for the best that he hadn't returned her request right away. Had he done so, she would never have come up with her plan to raise Al's children. When her father had found out about Jonas and Al, he would have done something drastic and probably gotten them thrown into the Core or exiled. How would she ever be with Butch then? She paced the reactor room as she waited for him.

Hearing the door open she stopped and watched as he closed it behind him.

"Well, I take it you've found out something."

"I did Dad and its been stopped." She had decided not to let her father in on her plan to carry the Overseer's children. She needed to convince him that she had decided to stay with Jonas and raise a family.

I've also done a lot of thinking about my life and I've come to decide I'm going through with the wedding. I'm going to marry Jonas. "

Her father looked at her a little taken aback, "Marry Jonas?"

"Yes Jonas, that talk we had here a while ago, I've been thinking a lot about it. Why should I fight it if my destiny is to be with him? Yes, I know but its for the best really; the best for me, for Jonas and for the vault."

This was hard for him to swallow what with knowing about her relationship with Butch but he would let that go, for now. "You said you found out what Al had Jonas working on?"

"Yes, he had this crazy idea to repopulate the vault. I mean his methods were unethical but I understand the end result. The vault population has drastically dropped in the last 200 years. If nothing is done about it then we will all die out in here."

This didn't sound good. "Okay, so what were his methods?"

"He was attempting to increase the population of the vault by impregnating married women… surreptitiously."

"What? That's totally unethical… immoral…and outrageous! How…?"

"That's what I thought too and when I found out I confronted Jonas. He told me the Overseer was blackmailing him into doing it. I guess he was using me as a bargaining chip or something. It was then that I decided to not be a pawn in crazy Al's plan and stay with Jonas through think and thin. Only this way could we stand up to the Overseer and prevent him from carrying out his plan. It was a haphazard process at best but that's not important, what is, is that it's stopped. When I told Jonas I wasn't going to leave him, we went to the Overseer and told him we wouldn't be a part of his plan."

"You're joking? The two of you stood up to Alphonse and he just stopped?" This was almost unbelievable but maybe Al wasn't as bad as he was led to believe. "I suppose just like that he agreed to stop?" sarcasm draped in his voice.

"No, he was upset of course and nearly threw the two of us in the Core but then what would he do for medical staff. No offence dad but the vault might protest our absence."

"He could have throw just you in and then what? I don't know Jolene, Butch painted a pretty awful picture and you yourself stated how terrible Al was not two days ago. How do we know Al doesn't have something else going on?"

"He did threaten to send me to the vault but Jonas told him he still wouldn't preform the procedures. It was scary dad, I wont lie to you and we don't know if he doesn't have something else planned but as long as he knows Jonas and I will not be manipulated into harming other vault members no matter what he does to us, I feel we might have an upper hand of some sort. At least I am hoping anyway. And Butch, I do love him, but I can't be with him right now. If Al found out he might... No, In order to defeat Al, Jonas and I have to stay together." She needed to add some not so good news to her story if only to make it more believable. "However, Jonas and I did agree to start taking out the implants of the married woman when they come in for their well woman visits." She put up her hands to stop his protest, " I know, I know but we had to give him something and we do need more vault offspring."

This was a lot of information to process. He had been worried about her these past two days but now she seemed to have everything taken care of but she still didn't know about the naked stills Jonas acquired. He debated on telling her. Would she still stay with him? Would Jonas ever intentionally hurt his daughter? He really didn't think so. This information may cause her more harm than good at this point. He probably should spend more time thinking about this but his project...maybe she had it worked out. Had is little girl grown up after all? "So you plan on staying with Jonas then?"

"Yes, I can't promise you it will be a 'forever after' thing but I will give it a try." She took his hands. "I just wanted to let you know the crazy stuff that was going on seems to have passed and I'm okay."

"You look just like your mother." He smiled down at her. "You promise me everything is better now and if something, anything changes you will let me know?"

"Yes dad, of course." Had she really pulled it off? Was he buying this whole story?

"Alright honey." He kissed her on the forehead. Maybe she really did have her life figured out.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: A Midnight Encounter**

They had started the fertility treatments right away. She insisted on the highest dosage stressing to Jonas how vital it was they succeed on the first try. Jonas was reluctant knowing the dangers but remembering the look in Al's eyes when he had threatened to turn her away from him if he didn't get a child soon.

A wedding date had been set and she and Amata worked on the invitations and decorations almost every day the clinic wasn't busy. Jolene knew there was no way she could keep the news from Butch. What could he be thinking? She was aching to let him know she still loved him.

Jolene had found out Butch was relieved of the barber apprenticeship and given an 'inventory or supply' job so most of his day was spent in the lower levels. This gave them less reason to 'bump' into each other. She rarely went anywhere alone anymore and almost always noticed a guard present when a Tunnel Snake was nearby. She had even begun to doubt Amata's trustworthiness. She was sure the Overseer had said something to Amata about her and Butch. Why else had she stopped quizzing her about their romantic rendezvous? Pressing the bridge of her nose between her fingers she let out a low moan. She'd been getting headaches recently, probably from the fertility shots.

"Are you alright?" Amata asked looking at her friend with worry.

"Yes, just a little headache is all. Jonas has been keeping me up almost every night. I'm probably just tired. "

"Oh," Amata grinned slyly, "and why would he be doing that I wonder?"

"He seems to be rather eager to start a family."

"Oooo! That's so exciting," Amata practically squealed, "my dear friend with an adoring child. I'm so excited for you."

Jolene figured she should start laying the ground work for her soon to be pregnant state. It certainly didn't hurt. In truth the opposite had been true. Jonas had approached her several times but she had turned him down explaining how he knew they couldn't risk a pregnancy preventing Al's insemination. He had stressed to her that she still had her implant and that they wouldn't remove it until they harvested her eggs, but she wasn't willing to chance it.

"Maybe I'll just go lie down for a bit."

"Yeah, you got to get your rest, I'll take this stuff to Betty's and we can finish it up." She squeezed Jolene in a hug. "You need to take care of yourself. I am sure this has been stressful for you. Have you ever heard anything from…you know…Butch? I know you haven't talked about him in months. It's just that you were so fired up over him and now…Jonas and the wedding…I thought…" she paused, and busied herself with collecting up the papers, "Maybe I shouldn't pry."

Jolene was taken back a little. Was she fishing for information for her father? She actually felt sick not knowing if she could trust her life-long friend. "It's okay Amata, Butch was…he is….I shouldn't have…I thought there was something but there wasn't, you know."

"Aw, I know he broke your heart, but Jonas is much better. He is good for you." She smiled. "I'm happy for you Jolene."

"Thanks." They hugged again. _That's not what you thought when I slept with him the first time. You told me he was too old for me. I wonder what made you change your mind_ _or better yet who?_ Jolene was starting to feel nauseous too.

~~oOo~~

Jonas was in the clinic working on some paperwork when she entered and immediately headed for the locked prescriptions. "Honey, what are you looking for?"

"Something for my head, it's pounding." She leaned against a clinic bed and rubbed her temples." I know you're just going to tell me we shouldn't have used such a large dose of fertility drugs but it's nearly over so please don't lecture me now."

Her moods had also been affected so he didn't argue. "Three more days till your last shot and then thirty six hours till we harvest. You know I'm only worried about you."

She gripped his arm and met his eyes, "We have to do this. You know we do."

"I only need to be with you Jolene." If only he felt her devotion was completely to him then maybe he would risk her knowing about the pics and the vid, but he didn't. Deep down he suspected she had other motivations which was why he constantly monitored her movements. Jonas wasn't sure if Al had had anything to do with Jolene and Butch's sudden separation but he found it odd that Butch was sent to work the lower levels. He had almost asked Al about it but Jonas didn't want to know, not really. He wanted to believe she'd chosen him. Kissing her lightly on the forehead he said, "Okay, here take two of these and go lie down. Have you had any other side effects?"

"A little achy, my breast are a bit sore, I feel bloated, normal stuff." She tossed the pills back. "Thanks. Give me an hour and wake me up okay?"

"Sure." But he knew she'd be out longer than that. He'd given her a sleep aid too. She hadn't been sleeping very soundly, tossing and turning sometimes mumbling in her sleep. This whole thing was stressing her out. She needed the rest.

~~oOo~~

Damn it. It was late at night and she was wide awake, thanks to Jonas not getting her up when she had asked. She'd been lying awake for almost two hours now. This wasn't going to work. Her mind was racing. She needed to get up. Quietly she slid out of bed so as not to wake Jonas and slid into her jumpsuit. He had taken to spending the nights damning what others might think. 'Must be nice to do what you want' she thought.

She spent some time catching up on paperwork while drinking some wine in the clinic. She wasn't pregnant yet damn it. When she couldn't find anything else to do she took her bottle for walk. She hadn't been out late like this in months, not since…since she'd been seeing Butch. The vault was so quiet at night, dark and kind of peaceful. She actually felt alone for a change, but she didn't trust it. This whole place was such a lie. She felt so trapped here deep underground. Wasn't there another way? How had everything gone so crazy? She wished she'd had access to information on the outside world. How long had it been anyway? How much longer did they need to stay down here?

She found herself punching in the lock code to the library. The door clicked open. Smiling, it was good to know some things didn't change. She wandered through the stacks of vids and disks not even sure what she was looking for when she stopped herself in front of the planetarium door. What was she doing to herself? She didn't need to be here, why torture herself with the past? She'd been here before Butch, this visit didn't have to be about him. She'd come here to gaze up at the stars and remember when her life was simpler that's all. That seemed so far away. She'd been so naive and full of hope.

It was pitch black inside. She leaned softly against the door just taking in the darkness feeling like she was violating some sacred ground. She wanted this but felt like it was fruitless to give in to the fantasy. This place was part of her that was no longer. She had grown harder, darker inside. Yet the urge to turn on the stars was too much. She found the control pad easily in the dark and when they lit up the room she couldn't hold back the tears. She sunk to the floor and wept. She wept quietly at first then her cries rose in anguish, she pulled at her hair in torment plodding down the stairs toward the center circle staring up at the blurry stars. She tripped but didn't care. She would have thrown herself down them if she thought it would end her torment.

When she found arms around her instead of a hard floor, she struggled a moment and then she heard his voice. She must be drunker than she thought, then he kissed her and she didn't care. She kissed him back hungrily running her fingers through his hair and gripping his leather jacket. His hands, HIS hands were on her, touching her pulling at clothes pressing her against him. More tears fell through her hair when he entered her, tears of joy.

She was still crying when they finished. He pulled her into his arms wrapping his jacket around them.

"I don't care if this isn't real. Just hold me."

"Shhh, dry your eyes," He wiped at her cheeks then kissed them. "We'll be together again, soon. I'll be coming to take you away from all this."

There was a noise in the library, "Ouch!, Fuckit. Joleen!" Jonas was calling for her.

"Here let me turn on some lights," Mr. Lawson was with him. "She's probably in the planetarium. She used to come here as a child and just stare at the stars."

She scrambled into her jumpsuit, she hadn't worn anything else. She looked around but Butch was gone. Had he even been there? It had felt like such a dream.

The planetarium door opened.

"Jolene, honey?" Jonas stared out into the room letting his eyes adjust.

"I'm here." She said softly walking slowly up the stairs to him.

He clutched her into his arms, hugging her. "I woke up and you were gone. I was so worried. I didn't know what to think. Then I found you on the Pip-Boy but I couldn't get in. I pounded on the door. Mr. Lawson was kind enough to come out here this late. Oh Jolene, I was so worried."

"I couldn't sleep. I thought coming here with some wine would…relax me."

"Of course... of course you did, I was just so worried. Come back to bed now." He guided her through the door with an arm behind her back. "Thank you Mr. Lawson. You've set my mind at ease."

"Oh it's fine, fine. You are welcome here anytime."

Butch waited until he was sure everyone had left then snuck back to the levels below.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35: You Reap What You Sow**

They were harvesting her eggs.

Jolene had been so out of it the last week or so. Jonas was constantly nearby. He had told Amata that Jolene needed rest and would not be available. She'd spent most of the last few days in bed drugged up on pain and sleeping medication. The hormone shots had made her feel so awful she just didn't have the strength to fight anymore. She knew he was sedating her at night and welcomed it. At first the drugs were just to escape the headaches but she was enjoying the escape from reality they provided. Everything seemed less threatening, less desperate, and less important on the meds. On the meds everything was O.K. She found herself actually looking forward to going under for her procedure today. Jolene could now understand how people would prefer this drugged state to the real vault world.

As she slowly awoke she could hear people talking in the room. It was Al and Jonas. Part of her knew listening in would be beneficial but she'd rather stay in her half dream state. It was so near the dizziness she felt the other night in the library in Butch's arms.  
Al had been present during the whole process, not missing a shot or a check-up and Jonas had actually needed his assistance today with the procedure. That was fine she told herself, she just needed to get pregnant and then she'd have all the control but she didn't want to think about that now, she let go and drifted back into la la land.

"How many did we get?" Al spoke eagerly following Jonas to the microscope.  
"About twenty it seems." Jonas looked through the microscope examining the potential candidates.  
"You have my sample ready?"  
"Yes, I prepared them this morning. Now I need to separate the eggs and saturate them with your sperm. They will need to be left alone for about a day. "Jonas began gathering his instruments for the process.  
"And then?" Al asked impatiently.  
"Then five days from now we will know which ones show promise and we can implant them into Jolene."

Jonas was getting impatient with Al. He was constantly asking questions and impressing his will in every situation. Jonas hadn't liked this idea from the get go and he was dis-liking it more at every turn.

_In her drug induced slumber, Jolene was in darkness wandering through the crates looking for Butch. Where could he be? She could hear him talking to someone. She was so excited to see him again. She started to call out for him._

"How long after that will we know if she is pregnant?" Al rubbed his hands eagerly while Jonas worked.  
"Two to three days."

Al paced the room. Jonas did his best to ignore him while he worked. Then Al stopped and spun Jonas around to face him. Jonas stared, startled. Al had never laid a hand on him before.  
"I'm sure I don't need to emphasize to you how crucial the next few days are." Al began with a wild look in his eyes. "First," He raised one finger, "you will not dispose of or destroy any of my would-be children without my permission or my presence. Second, if they all show promise all of them will make it into her precious womb to have a chance to be born into this world. Third, I don't care if you need to keep her sedated for the entire pregnancy, I will have my legacy to pass on. Am I understood?" He glared at Jonas awaiting a response.

Jonas looked down at his hands, away from Al's mad piercing glare with fear churning in the pit of his stomach, but was it fear of Al or fear for his love, Jolene? He hated doing this. How did he end up in such a predicament to have to choose between his soon-to-be wife's health and the Overseers legacy? He thought he might try reasoning with him. Yes. The man held all the cards but Jolene and he had grown much closer. She had told him she loved him, professed that they could get through this together. He had worried that she would go back to Butch still, that's why he had her followed but even if she still felt something for that asshole she never faltered. It was that dedication to him that gave him the strength to speak up at this very moment. He would stand up to Al for her sake.

He began still looking down at his hands his voice so quiet that Al could hardly hear him, "To insert so many zygotes for potential growth would not be safe for the host nor the potential children." Growing bolder his voice reached its normal volume, "I can't…no I won't put her life in danger like this." Now actually looking at him as he spoke, "Ten is the most we can risk. We will save the rest if none take during this round. We can use them in the next." Jonas took a deep breath, surprised and pleased with himself yet feeling a little dizzy.

_Jolene couldn't find Butch. She could swear she could hear him talking to Paul or Wally right around the corner but every time she turned he wasn't there. Where could he be? She was getting more worried. Again she called to him._

A chill went through Jonas as a cold smile spread across the Overseer's face.  
"Well, well, well, look who's grown a spine. Not quite the steal reinforced one of his fiancé's but one none the less. She tends to have that effect on men doesn't she?" He waved his question away. "Did she put you up to this like she did this little plan of hers? Huh? Did she? I certainly wouldn't put anything past her at this point but I don't think she would entrust you to such an important task. No, I think your love for her might actually be real. Deep down in there somewhere you think she loves you back don't you?" He poked Jonas in the chest and strolled over to Jolene.

Jonas nearly jumped when Al touched him, like he was going to be electrocuted by Al's finger. He was speechless, what had he just done? What had he said? He noticed Jolene then when Al approached her resting uneasily like she had on so many nights; forehead creased in a worried expression with a damp sheen of sweat, hands clenching the covers. She hadn't begun to mumble yet, but Jonas knew she would like she had so often in her sleep.

Al gestured over her, "This is the woman that has inspires your bravery? You think this woman goes through all this to spend her life with _you?"_

Jonas stood his ground, "Jolene and I are going to be married and hopefully after this _experiment_ have our own children to raise." He spat the words at Al.

Al's laughter surprised Jonas so much he jumped. "That wasn't the question I asked now was it?" He slithered up to him and practically whispered in his ear. "If you think that girl loves you with all her heart than fine, you do what you need to, to insure she has a pleasant, worry free pregnancy but if I were you I'd be doing everything in my power to make sure she stays bed ridden for a long as possible." He looked over his shoulder at Jolene, "Would a woman like Jolene put herself through this to spend a lifetime with you? Would she, really?" and with a 'don't fuck this up' glance he turned and walked out the door.

Jonas breathed a giant sigh when the door closed behind Al. He approached Jolene who dozed restlessly. She had begun mumbling again. He didn't bother to put his ear to her mouth like had done in the past when he awoke next to her in bed. Instead he simply reached up and increased the sedative drip so she could rest easily. He knew the name she called out in her dreams wasn't his but if Jonas had anything to do with it she would never be his again.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36: Two Days**

They met in the library of all places. Butch had opened the door when James showed up outside.

"Following me on your Boy?" James asked quietly after the door closed behind them.

"Can't be too careful."

James considered that an understatement. They needed to be more careful now then they had ever been which made him feel uneasy about this meeting place. Wasn't it too…out in the open? He followed Butch into the planetarium. He watched as Butch punched buttons programming in a large shining moon and they sat down with an empty seat between them.

After a few silent moments James said, "I haven't been in here in years are you sure it's safe?"

"Safer for you than for me."

James knew he was right. Al didn't come right out and say it but James knew he wasn't allowed free reign in the lower levels, not any longer. Not now that Jolene and Butch were 'separated'. She was to stay with Jonas but if she had everything had worked out why...?He wasn't quite sure he knew what was going on with that situation but he knew if he was found or tracked below he would be considered a threat, Butch on the other hand, Hell who knew what he could do with his tracker? Damn it, he was so ready to leave.

Butch spoke softly still staring at the ceiling, "I'm surprised you don't visit more often, what with being from the outside and all. It's one of your daughter's favorite spots in this tin can."

James glanced quickly at his Boy looking for Jo's signal.

Butch caught his movement out of the corner of his eye, "She's in her room." _Safely tucked away from me._

"So you haven't contacted her? She isn't coming here?" James wondered because of this location and she being an integral part of the 'leaving' that was to take place, Butch may have contacted her somehow.

"Now that wouldn't be impossible but just a little too risky don't you think?

James heard the anger and frustration in Butch's voice. He shook his head in agreement. "I thought Wally and Paul would be here though."

"They will not be joining us on our adventure."

James pondered that a moment. "We can trust them to not give us away?"

"I've been stringing them along on this, but they are not going with us. I think we have a better chance with fewer people. They won't be happy about it but we're not coming back anyway."

"Okay then." James rubbed his hands together and scooted to the edge of his seat, "I nearly have everything wrapped up that I am taking with me. You have the location of the G.E.C.K and the codes for the door?" Butch nodded. "Alright then, I can be ready to leave in four days."

"Two."

"Two? I don't think I will have everything ready in two days."

"Two days. I have Al Fuck's codes and the location of your G.E.C.K. We go in two." Butch clenched his teeth when he spoke, the tension seeping off of him.

"Why two days?" Then it hit him; the wedding was in two days. "Aw, the wedding..."

"She won't marry that shit. She won't. We leave in two."

James watched Butch's knuckles turn white as he gripped the arms of the chair. "Alright. Alright, I'll gather Jolene and the supplies from the clinic and meet you near the maintenance elevator say 3am?"

"Can't happen soon enough for me." He slowly released his clenched hands.

James stood and put out his hand to Butch. "Good luck, to both of us."

Butch stood and took his hand in a firm hand shake, "We sure the fuck need it."

As James turned to go Butch sat back down, "You're not coming?"

"I'll leave when I'm ready."

Checking his Boy before heading out, James walked out the door.

James entered his quarters. The final preparations had put him in a good mood. He wanted to share this enthusiasm with Jolene. He also felt she should get to make the decision on whether to go or not, instead of Butch making it for her. He hadn't been alone with her for days, he'd been busy, she'd been busy and then there was Jonas always creeping around. All was silent as he listened at her door. He was about to open it when he heard voices in the clinic. Maybe she was in there. Heading for the clinic door instead he stopped quickly when he heard Al's voice.

"So we have thirteen left."

"Yes"

Jonas was with him.

"I think we should put them in tonight."

"No, we wait two more days for the best growth."

"So you have come to your senses and will insert all of them?"

A sigh from Jonas, "Yes, as the babies grow she will need to be restricted to bed rest."

"Excellent. I shall see you then on your honeymoon."

James heard the door open and close. _What the fuck were they working on?_ He suspected things weren't as wrapped up as Jolene thought_._ He knew Jolene was alone in her room what with Jonas being in the clinic so he entered her room quickly not sure how long he would have alone with her. She was asleep. Of course she was, it was late and she'd been busy getting everything ready for the wedding. He shook her. There was no response, just her heavy breathing as she rested. He shook her again, still nothing. Then he shook her harder and called her name, nothing. He lifted an eye, she was drugged. What. The. Fuck.

He stormed into the clinic ready to rip Jonas a new hole, "Why is my daughter practically comatose in there?"

Jonas jumped nearly dropping a Petri dish. "James?"

"Answer me!" He slammed a fist on the counter next to Jonas, Jonas flinched.

"She's been having a hard time sleeping. I've simply given her a sleep aid." Jonas turned to go back to tiding up his work.

"Sleep aid my ass, she's out cold."

He turned back to James, "She knows what it is James. I'm not forcing it on her. She's had a busy week and needs her rest." He moved slightly to reach past James.

James reached out and stopped Jonas, grabbing his shoulder, "and what was Al doing here just now?"

"Al?" Jonas turned slowly under James' grip but only after he'd locked up the zygotes for implantation. "I think maybe you've been working too hard. Al was not here."

"Then what have you locked up there? What do the two of you have cooking with my daughter?" He shoved Jonas back out of the way to access the metal multi-environmental cabinet and punched in the password to the lock. Nothing happened. "You've changed the password?"

"I've followed procedure and changed it according to security protocols. It's not my fault that you are busy elsewhere when this happens."

James breathed a frustrated sigh, wanting to deck the smug ass. "Okay, so what is it?"

"James, really its late I think we should both retire." He took off his lab coat and draped it over a nearby chair.

"The password Jonas." James couldn't believe the arrogance of this prick. How had he ever considered him a true friend?

"Goodnight James." He turned to go but James reached out and wrenched him back by his arm.

"Tell it to me." He squeezed Jonas' arm hard.

"No." Jonas struggled to get his arm free.

James lashed out and punched Jonas, hard across the jaw. He wanted to wail on him but stopped himself and growled, "Get out."

Jonas picked himself off the floor wiping the blood from his lip, not sure what James would do next he turned quickly to retire with Jolene.

"No. Get OUT! You don't come back until after the wedding. I will NOT share a home with you."

"James, be reasonable…" He cautiously approached James with his hands out, in a peaceful gesture.

"GET OUT!" James lunged at him, not sure what he would do if he got a hold of the weasel. He didn't get to find out though because Jonas was out the door before he could reach him.

James spent nearly an hour trying to hack the cabinet so he could find out what they were up to. Frustrated he checked on Jolene once more before returning to his room to begin packing.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37: Price to Pay**

She awoke to male voices shouting in the hall. _What was going on?_ Sliding into her jump suit she stepped groggily out of her room and into a Security guard. "You should maybe stay in there until this is over Jolene." He made a clothesline with his arm to prevent her from going any further. Pausing to get her bearings she saw Jonas standing in the clinic door across the hall from her and her father ranting loudly down the hall near his room while officers detained him. His possessions were being taken out through the clinic and into the main hall by several other officers.

"Jonas what's going on?" He didn't hear her right away as he stared down the hall looking rather stressed nibbling his thumb nail and shuffling on his feet. He was also standing behind a Security guard. "Jonas," she called again, than noticed his face, "Jonas why do you have a black eye?"

"Oh, Oh Jolene hey." He fumbled past the guard and guided her back into her room. The door closed behind her. "Your father and I are switching quarters today." He spoke quickly, nervous anxiety in his voice, the tension of the situation getting to him. "You know we had planned to all along and it's just a little early but I figured instead of having to mess with it after the wedding, during our honeymoon we could get it over with today."

"Okay," this all seemed reasonable. "So why is he all angry? Why are there guards and why do you have a black eye?"

"Well, it was sort of just my idea and when he refused the confrontation got a bit out of hand so now security is involved." Jonas left out the part that he simply showed up this morning with the guards in tow. He wasn't taking any chances after last night's fiasco in the clinic.

"Well this is just dumb. I'll go talk to him." She headed for the door.

"Jolene, I don't think that's such a good idea."

She paused and looked back at him suspiciously."What are you not telling me, honey?"

He heard the tone of her voice change even though she tried to hide it. "Jolene, now don't be upset. Please, come sit on the bed with me." He sat down and she joined him. "He came into your room last night and found you 'sleeping' and thinks I'm keeping you and doing something to you against your will. Whatever he has cooked up in his brain he is down-right against it, I mean to the point where he got violent and hit me. I don't think it's a good idea for you to speak to him at this time."

"What do you think he'll do, hit me too? That's crazy."

"Jolene!" Her father's shout carried through her closed door. They both actually jumped at the volume and ferocity in his voice. They could hear him get closer. "Jolene, don't stay with that bastard. He can't be trusted. He isn't good for you. Don't let him twist you around! Jolene! Get your hand off me."

"Sir if you don't move along we will be forced to arrest you "

"Jolene!" His voice faded as she assumed doors closed behind him as he was escorted out through the clinic.

_What the Hell?_

"He seems pretty upset." Jonas quietly observed his hands, he examined the damage he'd done to his thumb.

Damn it. Could he have found out about her and Al's baby or was there something more Jonas and Al were doing behind her back? She didn't like it. She knew she had been out of it for the past few days...weeks? Maybe she needed to start paying more attention to what her future husband was up to. It wasn't out of the ordinary for Security to get involved when a vault dweller became irate and sometimes they were even drugged and isolated 'till they calmed down, but this was her dad and things weren't exactly as they seemed around here. Was their all-mighty leader trying to take away all her allies? She didn't take anything at face value anymore. Jumping off her bed she headed out her door, panic growing in her stomach. The Core, they can't be taking him to the Core.

"Jolene!" Jonas scrambled to catch up to her. He caught her outside the clinic door watching the guards take her father and his things down the hall in the direction of Jonas's old quarters. She noticed Jonas' things waiting in the hall.

"He'll be allowed to come to the wedding?" She asked Jonas once her heart stopped pounding in her chest.

Once he recovered from practically bumped into her, he replied, "A…Yes, yes…I mean if…well you know if…that will be entirely up to your father."

She knew what he meant, if her father _behaved_. What was going on here?

"You okay?" He reached over and touched the side of her face. She nodded her head.

"I'm going to go move my things in now. I think I'll keep them in what is now my room so you don't have to move any of your things for now Okay?" She nodded again, still staring down the hall. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," She was as good as she was going to get at this point. Reaching down and gathered some of Jonas's stuff in her arms. "It will be faster if I help."


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38: Last Day in Hell**

Jonas played with her nipple, his arm draped around her naked body. Damn it, it felt too good. She had told him that he shouldn't be sleeping in her bed because it only tormented him not being able to have sex with her.

She shoved at him to push him away only to feel his hard cock press between her ass cheeks. "Jonas stop." She mumbled coming fully awake, "You know we can't risk it."

"Come on," He whispered in her ear his hand finding the wetness between her legs. "You know you want to."

She gasped as his fingers rubbed harder.

"It's too risky and you know it." She rolled to face him.

"Just touch it Jolene, I love feeling your hands on me." He hadn't taken his hand from between her legs.

"Oh damn Jonas." She squirmed under his hand. She reached down and grabbed his hardness. He had a nice solid one. Certainly not as wonderful as Butch's beast but Jonas' was nothing to dislike. She stroked it slowly. "We can't have sex Jonas, you know that." She said quietly looking up at him, his eyes closed in pleasure.

"Fuck it, I hate that that bastard has come between us in our bed of all places. Just put your mouth on it for me please. I need this I've missed us, then I promise I will pay you back. I'll lick you up, eat you like a hot muffin."

The promise of having his mouth on her was certainly enough motivation in her heightened hormonal state. She grinned at him slyly, "You promise?" She tugged at his penis harder

"Oh yeah."

She slipped under the covers and between his legs. She ran her lips and tongue over him.

"Oh my Jolene, Oh your lips…"

She worked her hand and lips over his hardness letting herself become more aroused listening to his moans and bringing him to climax. Smiling that she'd done her part. She licked the last of the cream from his spent member and slid up his body dragging her wetness up his leg, letting him know how badly she needed him.

His Pip-Boy chimed. "Oh shit, the twins. I have to go honey. I forgot I have an appointment with Mrs. Miller and her new babies. I'll make it up to you I promise." He pulled himself from her grip and started climbing into his jumpsuit. "Don't look at me like that. You know I will. See you later tonight?"

She glared at him, "I think you should stay in your room tonight." She rolled and sat up on her side of the bed, putting her feet on the floor.

"Honey, don't be like this, I just forgot an appointment." He paused, waiting for her to reply before leaving.

"Just…just go." She didn't turn to see him go, only heard the door open and close. She sighed heavily in the silent room. What was she doing playing house with Jonas? This wasn't going to work. The marriage, the crazy plan with Al's babies, being Butch's girl on the side, none of it was going to work. She didn't want to be pregnant. She didn't want to be Jonas's wife. She wanted nothing to do with someone as slimy as Al. Her Pib-Boy chimed, it was Amata, her dress was ready and Mrs. Beatrix was waiting for her to try it on. The thought of putting it on her body repulsed her all of a sudden. She wanted nothing to do with any of it. She began to gasp in quick short breaths and realized she was going to hyperventilate. Sliding from the bed to the floor she placed her head between her knees to keep from passing out. Crap she was having a panic attack. When she could focus again she messaged Amata that she had slept in and would be there shortly. She stood to take a shower but was too dizzy and slipped back to the floor. This wasn't happening. Sitting there waiting for the dizziness to pass she pulled her under things on, slipped her legs into her jumpsuit and methodically put on her boots. Her Pib-Boy chimed again, Amata, with some chastising remark. She sat there just staring at the screen not really seeing it. She didn't know how long she stared but when she started to move again she was punching in the codes to remove her Pib-Boy. It made a clacking sound when it unlocked and fell to the floor. When she stood this time there were no signs of lightheadedness. She zipped up and headed out through the living quarters not really sure where she was going, only that she wasn't staying here any longer.

~~oOo~~

Amata waited. Mrs. Beatrix had been fuming but after a few drinks from father's bar she seemed to have calmed down. Where was Jolene? It had been forty five minutes since her last message. What was taking her so long? After this fitting they had to finish the decorations. She had messaged her about ten minutes ago but had not received a response. She decided to check her friend's location to see if she was on her way. When she scanned for Jolene she found nothing. Did Jolene's Pip-Boy malfunction or shut down? She decided to send a quick message to Jonas. Certainly he would know where she was.

~~oOo~~

Jonas was disinfecting a radroach bite on Mrs. Horowitz's hand when his Pip-Boy chimed so he didn't get to it right away. It wasn't until after he had cleaned up that he remembered to check it. He stood staring at the message:

'Do you know where Jolene is?'

What an odd question coming from Amata. Jolene was going to be spending all day with her, how can she not know where Jolene is? Besides, Amata could simply check the tracker and find Jolene. He guessed little princess Amata couldn't be bothered. He was glad he made her wait. Jonas sighed as he returned a text to 'miss high and mighty':

'Possibly in the last place you left her?'

Pressing SEND Jonas felt smug, maybe that would help put her in her place. He wasn't Amata's lap dog. Her father's maybe but not hers. Pushing that though out of his mind he headed to his desk, he needed to update Mrs. Horowitz's medical records. His Pip-Boy chimed again.

"Really?" He spoke out loud as he looked down at this arm to read Amata's response:

'I haven't seen her all day and I can't find her. If you two are playing some sort of trick on me…Don't you want to get married tomorrow? We HAVE to finish the dress!'

Okay, Amata says she hasn't seen Jolene. Fine, I'll check _my_ Pip-Boy so her highness can simply pout while others around her do the work.

"And leave me the fuck alone, if she wasn't the Overseer's daughter…," he mumbled under his breath getting angry with her.

He did a quick search and didn't find Jolene. A cold tingling started at the base of his spine and he searched more thoroughly. What the…? Where was she?

'It's Okay,' he told himself, there could be a number of simple answers.

Still that feeling crawled up his spine. His eyes shot to the door toward Jolene's room and he walked quickly out. He wasn't going to run. Opening her door he called her name, not still in bed. He rushed past the bed and into the bathroom.

"Jolene!"

The bathroom was empty. Turning he took in the room and spotted her Pib-Boy laying open and dark on the bedroom floor. Oh shit, where had she gone?

~~oOo~~

Al was getting his monthly update on the Core's outputs when he was informed by one of his guards that Jonas was outside and requesting to see him. What did that fuck up think coming here when it wasn't time for the medical briefing? Their 'situation' was something best kept behind closed doors. Never the less he kept his cool.

"Thank you Officer Thompson, I will review your report and get back to you if I have any questions. You are free to go."

As Officer Thompson walked out Jonas burst in nearly flapping his jaw before the door was closed.

"She's gone. She's taken off her Boy and she's just…gone." He swung Jolene's Pip-Boy in his hand has he frantically paced back and forth. "At first I thought it was some misunderstanding, you know? But I went to see Amata. She really hasn't seen Jolene. Why are you just staring at me? DO SOMETHING, I'm telling you Jolene is gone!"

Al stood near his desk taking in Joans' pale sweaty face and his shaking nervous hands. Jonas wasn't prepared to handle this. Just imagining him scurrying through the halls to get here must have frighten several people to see the doctor in such a state. Surly by seeing him so frazzled they could only deduce that there must be something drastically wrong in the vault. Not good.

"Jonas, sit down." He motioned to the sofa and chairs near the bubble window.

"How can you…how can you be so calm? I'm telling you she took this off and left! Where is she?" He nearly crumbled to the floor in a bending plea, holding out Jolene's Pib-Boy like an offering to a God.

Al noticed the tears now streaming down his cheeks. "I will take care of this Jonas. We are in a vault she can't go anywhere, but first we need to take care of you. Now, SIT. DOWN." This time he spoke firmly demanding Jonas to sit.

Shaking his head Jonas shambled to the love seat and sat. Al called one of his guards in with a buzzer on his desk. He spoke quietly to him and then the guard hurried out the door. Crossing to his cooler and back to Jonas he handed him a beer. "Drink this." Jonas looked up at him questionably, "all of it."

Al sat and watched Jonas empty the beer bottle. When it was gone, Al asked, "How do you feel?"

"Better, I…I feel better."

"Good, have another." He handed him one more and waited. A few more moments went by, Jonas drank and Al fumed. He knew he should have expected that little bitch to pull something. Things could never be done the easy way, could they?

His door dinged, "Enter." Al rose to meet the guard from earlier and they again had a quiet furtive exchange. Once he exited, Al retrieved two beers from the cooler and handed one to Jonas as he sat across from him.

"Did you have an argument?" Maybe her little jaunt was simply to get Jonas' attention. The man was daft when it came to his little Jolene.

"Jolene and I?" Jonas asked confused.

"Yes, possibly this is why she has taking to walking about the vault 'un-tethered'."

"She…I…" Jonas sighed loudly, "It's rather personal."

"Please spare me the details."

"I…well you know we haven't been able to have sex, at least well…not the traditional way, and well I have needs as a man you understand." He looked over at Al for some understanding.

"Completely."

"So, well, you know, we fooled around a little this morning but I had an appointment, I couldn't stay, it was important, I had forgotten, yes, but I was late and well she was upset."

"So you left?

"Yes."

"She was angry, you hadn't satisfied her?"

"No. She seemed more hurt than angry. She didn't want to even look at me. I figured she'd get over it and all would be okay. Am I that stupid?"

Al ignored his question and stood to retrieve another beer. Handing it to Jonas he asked, "Did you see her again after that?"

"No, I figured she went to Amata's, your daughter."

"I know who my daughter is."

"Anyway an hour or so must have gone by because I finished up my appointment and returned to the clinic. Mrs. Horowitz came in with a bite, while I was stitching her up my Boy chimed. I didn't check it right away because my hands were busy. I didn't get to it for at least thirty minutes. When I did I saw it was from Amata . She wanted to know where Jolene was. I thought that was odd because she was supposed to be with her all day. I decided to check her room, maybe she fell back to sleep. But she was just gone. Amata hasn't seen her." Desperation crept back into his voice

Rising Al spoke, "Well, you relax. Big Al has several guards searching the vault for her." He strolled back to his desk and sat behind it. "I'm sure she shall turn up soon, and when she does…" he spoke the last bit under his breath.

"You don't think she went…well to…HIM, do you?" he could barely get the words out.

"Trust me, you don't want to know what I think."

~~oOo~~

She wanted to swim naked in the pool, gaze at the stars under the observatory sky, shoot radroaches till she was covered in their lifeless goo, but she couldn't. She remembered when she was free to do all those things. Today she'd simply left and unlike when she was young, people were going to be looking for her. Why did it have to be this way? Had she created this craziness? She knew she loved Butch. She wasn't going to marry Jonas or carry Al's babies. She was done. She didn't care if Al stuck her in the core for eternity at least she wouldn't be pregnant with his spawn babies. Butch needed to know about all of it, her feelings and the crazy plan Al had. She was sure she didn't have a lot of time. Soon Al would find out she'd left and send his goons after her. She did her best to sneak to the lower levels to look for Butch.

Hurrying down the last set of stairs before she exited out to The Bottom, the Tunnel Snakes' lair, she heard a commotion in the hall, "What do you goons want with Butch?" it was Paul and it sounded like some guards had come to fetch Butch. Damn it she was too late. She collapsed against the wall. Now what? She could wait till they let him return. After they found he hadn't seen or heard from her they would let him go, right? Or Al may keep him until she showed back up or use him as bait, that bastard. She was about to open the door and turn herself in, when the door burst in tossing her to the floor at the bottom of the stairs. She stared up at Butch who'd been making a run for it, to where she'd love to know. He just looked at her and froze stopping the door from closing behind him.

Warmth spread through her as she started to rise from the floor. He was here in front of her. "Butch? Butch lets go." She put her hand out for him to take.

He looked at her and her hand. He reached out slowly and took a hold of it. A smile so bright crossed her face a feeling of such happiness filled her. She'd done it, she'd found Butch and now she could tell him everything. She nearly giggled as she turned to run with him up or down the stairs she didn't care, she was back with Butch, but he didn't budge. When she turned back to look at him, she watched as a look of terrible anguish crossed his face and then he spoke loudly out the open door behind him, "Hey Pigs! I've got her, she's in here!"

'No.' she mouthed the word, she was too shocked to get any sound to come out. "Butch?" she pleaded with him, tugging at her hand to get free. "Butch, Butch stop! I can't go back, you don't understand!" She was thrashing frantically, desperately trying to get away without actually striking him. He pulled her in close to him, wrapping his arms around her he looked down into her eyes. She stilled in his arms and looked back up as tears drenched her cheeks. "I can't marry him."

"You won't." Was all he said and kissed her passionately as the guards dragged them from the stairwell and out of each other's arms.

"No! No! I don't want to go!" she kicked at the guards that pulled her away from Butch. Two of them were now gripping both of her arms as she tried to pull herself free. One guard was still on Butch, but that guard could see his friends where going to need some help. Butch didn't seem to be putting up much of a fight so he turned to check on his partners in time to see Jolene get in a good kick to the side of one of the guard's knees. He went down and she jerked free of the other. Lunging she grabbed the gun out of the guard's holster and pointed it at everyone.

"I'm not going back!" she was shaking. How could Butch have turned her in?

The guard holding Butch drew his weapon and pointed it at Jolene.

"No, NO!" Butch shoved his way between the two drawn weapons. "Jo, calm down. Put the gun down."

"YOU! How could You?" she was in tears. She knew if she needed to fire this gun she probably hit nothing. She couldn't see a thing through her tears. "I love you. I can't go back to them. I can't."

"Jo, Jo, look at me. I do love you. Do you trust me?" He shoved off the guard behind him, "let me handle this."

She wiped her face with a free hand, trying to clear her vision. If one of the guards hurt Butch they were dead. "Yes." She shook her head in case he hadn't heard; she had said it so quietly.

"Good. Now put the gun down and go with them."

"I can't Butch, I can't marry Jonas. I don't love him and Al he…he's done some awful things. I can't…" she couldn't see again and could feel the other guards waiting for her to falter. "Tell me, was that really you in the planetarium the other night or was I only dreaming?"

"Yes Jo, yes that was me. Now please. If you love me you will go with them. TRUST ME." He hated not being able to tell her that he would be coming for her in only a few hours, that if they caused enough of a problem right now either of them could end up in a situation that would prevent their escape from happening, and Al Fuck was dead for any 'awful things' he had done to her.

"Butch," she was pleading, "Why?" she fell to her knees and let the gun fall to the floor. The guards rushed her and secured her arms behind her back hauling her to her feet. They dragged her away and into an elevator.

Butch felt torn in two. He couldn't take his eyes off of her until the doors to the elevator closed.

"What the fuck?" Paul exclaimed. "How could you just let them take her away like that? Damn Butch did you see her?"

He just shoved past Paul afraid his voice would betray the tears fighting to break free. He headed for his own quarters, this 'escape' would happen tonight or Al was a dead man.

~~oOo~~

She went with the guards as willingly as she could. The one limping headed in a different direction while the other two led her straight to Al's door.

When they entered she saw Al sitting behind his desk and Jonas passed out on the small love seat.

"Ah, there she is." He rose and came around his desk.

One of the guards spoke, "She was with the Butch boy, but he turned her in." Al's eyebrow rose with that statement. "She gave Doug a good kick and pulled his gun, but again the Butch kid stopped her from shooting and she turned herself in."

"Good work men. The keys please." He held out his hand and the guard handed him the keys to her cuffs. "You may leave us. On your way out would you please dispose of this man by returning him to his quarters for me? He is starting to stink up the place."

They nodded and collected Jonas. She stayed standing where they left her as Al fiddled with his Pip-Boy. She hated this, what was he waiting for? She knew he was very angry with her. He would be angry with her for a while because she wasn't going to marry Jonas. She may as well get it over with, that way he could get his anger out now instead of again tomorrow when she didn't say 'I do'. He started to clear off his desk. What was he doing? Was he expecting her to do something? There was a ding at the door.

"Come in."

Officer Park entered. "Well, Officer Park I'm glad you could make it this evening, please lock the door behind you." He came around the desk dangling the keys in front of him. "Un-do the cuffs." He tossed the keys to Officer Park.

He put a few more things away and once he was satisfied with his tiding job he turned and sat against his desk watching her rub her wrist.

"Un-zip." He said plainly.

"Wh..what?" she wasn't quite sure she heard him and then a chill ran up her spine. She wasn't sure exactly what Al had in mind but she wouldn't put anything past him, not at this point.

He walked toward her and put his hand out to Officer Park. He handed him his baton. With a swift jab of his arm he thrust it into her stomach and she fell over onto the floor, gasping for breath. He knelt down and pulled her zipper down as far as her clenched arms across her stomach would allow. He looked to Park and he pulled her arms apart allowing him to fully unzip her jumpsuit.

"There now that wasn't so bad was it?" He rose, "now take your arms out."

She coughed trying to get her breath back. Slowly she pulled her arms free of her jumpsuit.

"Stand." He turned and walked back to his desk than sat in his chair and started taking off his boots.

She stood and tied the arms of her jumpsuit around her waist. Once she was able to get a breath in without a sharp pain in her stomach, she argued, "I didn't do anything wrong. All I did was go for a walk."

"You know exactly what you did." The lack of emotion in his voice scared her more than if he had been screaming at her. To Officer Park he said, "bring her here."

Officer Park shoved her forward toward Al who was slipping out of his jumpsuit. Park kept his hand on her shoulder as they both walked to the side of Al's desk. Al sat in his chair in his underwear and T-shirt. In any other circumstance Jo thought she might laugh at his pencil thin arms and legs but she was still scrambling to get her mind around what exactly Al was going to do here?

"Cuff her and take off your clothes." He spoke to Officer Park but never took his glaring eyes off of her.

"Al," she said pensively. Before she could say another word Al was out of his chair and jabbing the baton in her gut again. She crumbled over unable to clench her stomach in her arms this time. Park had a hold of them as he was securing her again. She gasped on the floor thinking she might throw up. The cuffs clicked in place and Al hauled her up roughly and shoved her across the top of his desk holding her down with a hand to the back of her neck and his body pressed roughly against her back side.

"Are you done undressing yet?" Al said angrily over his shoulder at Officer Park.

"Yes." he replied.

"Finally, now get to work on me, this little cunt isn't going to get me hard."

She felt Al turn slightly behind her, his hip pressing her hard against his desk. "Al" she tried to say but all that came out was an 'ah'. A few moments later he yanked at the arms of her jumpsuit that she had tied around her waist. Jolene tried to calm herself so she could get in a breath. She needed to tell him this was wrong. "Al" louder this time, finally. She still gasped, it was difficult to recover this time because the hit had been harder and he was pressing her so hard against the desk.

"Shut up." He said "you run around the vault thinking you can do whatever you want. You have all the men scrambling at your every whim." He shoved her jumpsuit to the floor around her ankles. She felt tears leaking from her eyes once again tonight. She started to struggle against him. "Stop moving, there is more than one way to accomplish this." Then to Park, "I have a knife in that drawer hand it to me." She stilled as he cut her underwear off her. "Well, you little cunt, you're not going to fuck with me that way. I'm in control here and it seems you need to be taught just how much control I have. You do what I want when I want and how I want."

He turned and she felt his erection press against her. She cried out. "The babies Al, if you do this you have less chance of getting me pregnant with more than one baby!" she was desperate and thought she could reason with him and his sick mind.

"I'm not going to fuck you that way." And she shoved himself hard into her as she cried out in pain. Thrusting again he shoved her cut underwear into her mouth so he wouldn't hear her cries.


	39. Chapter 39

AN: 08-13. Wholly crap I finished it. I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, followed and favorited this story. It has been a ride that just took too long but I think it was worth it. You are all awesome!

**Chapter 39: Exodus**

James gathered the packs because it was time to go. The plan was to meet Butch by the maintenance elevator in a few minutes but first he needed to collect his daughter. He had been 'relocated' and after he 'came to his senses' the guard was taken off his door. He was free to move about the vault, well, as free as you could be. The clinic would be locked at this hour and he hoped Security had not changed the code. Eureka! He was in. Entering, the auto lights turned on and he set his packs down to collect some supplies. He was across the room collecting some Jet when one of the packs fell from an examining table and knocked over a tray. It fell with a loud clang and the items on it tinked as they hit the metal floor.

"Jolene?" He heard a voice call from the living quarters.

Damn it, Jonas. He ducked behind a bed to hide just before the door opened.

"Jolene? Honey?"

Her Boy said she was in her room so James wasn't sure why Jonas didn't know this. Nevertheless, he was going to have to deal with Jonas one way or another so he would try the nice way first.

"No, Jonas, it's me." He stood, startling Jonas.

"James?" then he remembered their last altercation, "James! Stay away from me, I'll…I'll call Security."

"Jonas, calm down. I'm just here to get some supplies." He held up the packs "I'm leaving."

Jonas was quite for a moment then laughed a little too enthusiastically. Was he drunk? "You think you are leaving? HA! That's funny. Go ahead take all the supplies you need." He gestured a bit ungracefully and sat himself on one of the examining tables.

James gathered supplies while watching Jonas carefully. "I also want to say goodbye to Jolene."

"Well that might be difficult since I am not sure where she is." Sarcasm, frustration, yeah, he was definitely drunk.

"My Pip- Boy says she is in her room."

Jonas checked his quickly. "Well I'll be, so she is. Al must have come through after all."

James had no idea what Jonas was talking about but it sounded like Jolene had taken off again and Jonas had Al find her. "So can I go in to see her then?" James picked up his packs and headed for the door.

"Nope, nope, nope, "Jonas grabbed a scalpel from a nearby tray and blocked his way.

"Easy Jonas, I only want to say goodbye."

"Yeah, well I don't believe you so… Get the fuck out!" Jonas came near and James backed off. "And if you think you are simply going to walk out of here, you are so daft. Get out, get out, GET OUT!" He kept swinging the scalpel at James so James was forced to back off. He avoided going out the door by simply circling the room.

"Jonas, Jonas! Calm down. Wait," James sat in one of the wheeled stools and brought his Pib-Boy up to his face. "Hold on Jonas, I need to record this first…"  
As James recorded his goodbye speech to Jolene, Jonas stood by staring down at him swaying with the scalpel in his hand. As soon as James was done, he swung his Pib-Boy arm up at Jonas as hard as he could, knocking the scalpel out of his hand.

"How…" 'touching' had been what Jonas was about to say but instead he only made a grunting sound . He staggered and managed not to fall by grabbing the counter behind him. "James, I…I'm afraid I…I can't allow you to..."

James smacked him again furious, "Can't allow me! Can't allow ME? That is my daughter in there and I will tell you what is and is NOT allowed!" He hit him repeatedly blinded by the rage he had felt over the past few months. He hadn't noticed Jonas reaching for the medical emergency button. He managed to press it just before he collapsed to the floor.

The alarm sounded. James wasn't sure how long it rang before he realized what he had done to Jonas. He found himself kneeling, looking at the damage he had caused. He needed to leave. He should have been gone months ago, maybe years ago. A fierce panic welled up within him. He ran to the door for the quarters but it was locked. "Jolene!" he cried. He banged on the door. "Jolene!" He tried the lock again. Damn it. He was locked out. "Fucking Jonas." He looked at Jonas, he was probably dead or dying… No help there. He saw the disk he recorded lying on the floor and quickly stuffed it into Jonas' hand. He looked down the hall and could hear someone coming. Quickly he hurried out and tried their front door. It was locked too. He couldn't get to Jolene.

He moved as quickly as he could down the hallways and corridors. At first there would only be a small team deployed to the clinic, but once they found Jonas' body… He needed to get to Alphonse's office as fast as he could. There was a secret passage under his desk in his office. The main door would be too visible for him to sneak out of. He was passing by a small hallway when someone grabbed him and shoved him into a small door way. It was Butch.

"What the fuck's going on and where is Jo?" He spoke softly but with great insistence.

"It was Jonas, he tried to stop me. I wasn't able to get to her. The doors were locked. I was locked out." He was breathing heavy and very agitated. "You need to stay behind and take care of her."

"Fuck that. I know where your damn G.E.C.K. is and I'm not spilling until we are all on the other side of that door. Do you hear me?" He could see panic in James' eyes and was not confident James was completely on board with this plan any longer. He shook James again making him lock eyes. "Are you with me James?"

James shook his head but he wanted out of the vault more now than he had ever in the past. All he wanted right now was to get on the other side of that door.

"Fuck you. I'm going to go back for her. Your ass better wait for us outside if you want to find that damn thing." He poked James in the chest as he spoke then dashed down the hall toward their quarters.

~~oOo~~

Jolene was awakened by someone shaking her violently. 'Was that the alarm?' Last night's trauma coming violently back to her and she thrashed out violently.

"Jolene, stop! Stop, it's me," Amata shook her while trying to avoid Jolene's fist.

Not until Jo had knocked Amata to the floor did she realize who it was. She sat up quickly. Al had made her take some pills last night and she couldn't even remember returning to her bed. She felt sick and she hurt all over. Rushing to the bathroom, she heaved everything into the toilet. She felt horrible inside and out. She slumped against the bathroom wall. Amata was saying something but she wasn't quite focused on that just yet.

"Amata, stop! Shut up! Shut Up!" She was not feeling any warm fuzzies toward her friend right now. "I hear the fucking alarm! I know I have to go." She moved her friend out of the way and picked her jumpsuit up off on the floor.

"Jolene you are not listening, you father is GONE and the guards are looking for you. You have to get out of here too."

"What? Who's hurt? I'm right here where they left me. Where'd my father go? "

"He's GONE, GONE! Your father left the vault! Are you feeling okay? The guards are coming to stop you from leaving too."

"Wh…What? My father did what? You can't just leave. You must have heard wrong Amata. I'm sure he's somewhere if not in the clinic now dealing with whatever emergency is going on."

Just then the alarm changed. It was the Full Lock Down alarm that was used whenever the vault was in danger. They had only used it in the past when there were problems with the Core or when the radroach population got out of control.

"Listen to me." Amata said slowly, grabbing Jolene by the shoulders and looking her in the eyes. "I heard my father talking to Officer Kendall. He said, 'James is in your office attempting to open the door.' Then my father asked if it was just him. Officer Kendall told him he thought so. Then my father said, 'Secure the girl, she doesn't leave your sight. ' He could be here any minute. I snuck out right after my dad. I am sure Officer Kendall went to get back-up and is on the way so COME ON!" she pulled Jolene by the arm.

Jolene still couldn't believe what Amata was telling her but she allowed herself to be pulled into the hall. When they opened the door to the clinic and saw Jonas lying on the floor, Jolene figured this was what the medical emergency was after all and Amata was losing it.

"Jonas!" Jo went quickly to the floor and started assessing his wounds. "Oh shit, shit…he's…dead. Amata, quick grab some stimpaks and help me. Let's see if we can revive him!" She started to pull his shirt apart to start CPR and stopped when she needed to do quick short breaths. His face was all bloody and swollen. She began trying to pry open his mouth, hearing the bones crunch together as teeth fell out, it was clearly broken.

"Joleeene." Amata pleaded quietly, afraid to look at the body.

They heard the men come into her quarters from the main door. "You check her room. I'll go secure the clinic.

Jolene looked quickly at her friend, thinking for the first time that what Amata told her might really be what was happening. Jo saw the disk in Jonas' hand and took it, quickly placing it into her Pip-Boy.  
They hurried out the door together. After running down the hall a ways, Amata pulled Jolene into a bathroom. "I can't be seen with you or they'll know how you got out and may think I helped your dad too. I'll go ahead and make sure my dad's office is empty. Be careful making your way there." She turned and rushed out.

Jolene was speechless and still freaked out by Jonas being dead. 'What the Hell was going on?' She scrolled through her Pip-Boy searching for her dad. There he was in the Overseer's office with the Overseer. Amata didn't know what she was talking about. Maybe her dad was searching for something in there but he was still around after all, wait…where did he go? The dot that was her father just disappeared. This couldn't mean he had left right? His tracker could have simply been disabled but why and how with Al still in there? She looked again at the disk and, turning down the volume, listened to it:

**Hold on Jonas, I need to record this first.**

**I... I don't really know how to tell you this. I hope you'll understand, but I know you might be angry. I thought about it for a long time, but in the end I decided it was best for you not to know. So many things could have gone wrong and there's really no telling how the overseer will react when he finds out. It's best if he can blame everything on me. Obviously you already know that I'm gone. It was something I needed to do. You're an adult now. You're ready to be on your own. Maybe someday things will change and we can see each other again. I can't tell you why I left or where I'm going. I don't want you to follow me. We both know life in the vault isn't perfect, but at least you'll be safe. Just knowing that will be enough to keep me going.**

**Okay. Goodbye. I love you.**

Oh no, he really was leaving. She bolted for the door and quickly stopped herself, she needed to disable her tracker. Was she really doing this, really trying to _leave_ the vault? How could she possibly leave without Butch? Once the hall was clear she started the long way around to the Overseer's office.

~~oOo~~

James had made it into Al's office. The codes Butch got him had worked. Now if he could only figure out what terminal he needed to use to open the door to the vault tunnel. Just then the hall door opened and James watched as Al and two guards walked in.

"You two can wait outside. Sound the lock down alarm and release the radroaches." One of them nodded and started talking on his handheld. He was giving instructions to someone on the other end, while the door closed leaving him and Al alone.

"So this is it. I have to say I am happy to see you are alone. Although, I did send some guards to make sure your daughter was secure during this 'radroach infestation eradication' too bad you won't make it though. Those damn roaches must have eaten your whole body."

"Guards? My daughter hasn't done anything wrong. In fact, I would have to say she has been most corporative with you and your mad ideas."

"Oh she has been very cooperative." He tapped away at a key board and the floor opened up next to him. "Here you go James, your one way ticket to the outside. I'll follow you down to be sure you close the door behind you." He waved a hand, gesturing for him to go.

James hesitated a second, thinking of Butch and his daughter and their attempt at escape. He couldn't wait for them, not now. He descended the stairs with Al following him.

~~oOo~~

Jolene hurried down a dark hall just barely getting caught by a passing guard. She needed to find Butch. Where? Fuck it, it would be impossible to find him quick enough, she needed to risk it.  
She messaged him: 'find me where you trusted me least' SEND

Guards passed by and she threw herself against the wall. Once they were past, she glanced at her Pip-Boy again. She still couldn't believe it. Her father and then the Overseer had simply disappeared from the Overseer's office. The room was still blank. No one was there. Where had they gone? Why would he simply leave her like this? She had to catch up to him, had to find out.

Standing up, she blindly dashing around a corner, nearly tripping over a radroach. Jo Jumped over it and it turned in pursuit. Damn, and me with no weapon. I may have to kick the thing to death, which would be messy and time consuming. I have to out run it. She looked back and watched another join it in its chase. Fuck.  
Just then a door opened to her right and two people stepped out. She pulled up short actually running into the officer.

"Whoa whoa, Jolene, slow down." Officer Gomez said taking her by the shoulders.

"Hey Herm, we got roaches." Stanley pointed.

Herman Gomez took out his pistol and fired twice. The radroaches wiggled their little legs in defeat.

"Better duck in here Jolene. The whole squad is looking for you and there are roaches everywhere. You'll be better off if I call it in then being located by one of the Overseer's thugs what with them finding Jonas like they did." He gently directed her toward the door they just vacated.

She pulled away from him. "No. No I can't. I have to find my dad." She heard them shouting after her as she ran down the corridor.

Not sure if she could trust them or not, Jolene decided to go down a floor and then back up. Hopefully she would lose any guards attracted by Officer Gomez's call.

Finally she was on the floor where the living quarters were located. Down here the lights were dimmer. She nearly tripped over an officer who recently lost a battle with some radroaches. She took his helmet , pistol, and baton. The red alarm light flashed down here but the noise eventually turned off on this level. Security still sounded the announcements repeatedly over the speakers to inform the vault's residences of the dangerous radroach infestation and to stay in their homes.

As she peered around a corner someone grabbed her and tossed her against the wall. She tried to swing the baton but they knocked it out of her hand. He dropped her to the floor and said, "If you know what's good for you, don't get up."

"Butch?" She wasn't sure because it was so dark but that voice.

"Jo?"He turned back to her knocking the helmet off her head. "Wholly Fuck, I couldn't get into your room. There were goons everywhere. I heard someone say you were gone. Then I got your message and hurried here as fast as I could." He crushed her against him. "I tried your tracker but you weren't there. I thought…I don't know."He kissed her. "Jo, we have to go. Your dad, he's already left. We need to meet up with him…"

They heard screams. "Butchie! Help"

"Mom?"

"Butchie, roaches!"

He started to run toward his quarters pulling Jo behind. "No. Jo, you go. Get to the outside. I will meet up with you."

"No, Butch, I don't want to leave without you. I want to be with you."

"We can't be together in this fucking place and you know it. Let me take care of this and I will catch up. I promise."

"Butch this…this is crazy."

He pinned her to him and kissed her hard. "This was planned. Now go. I want to see the real stars in your arms tonight."

She started to go then stopped, "Wait, Butch take this pistol."

"Fine, now hurry."

He watched her rush off as far as he could in the dim light. If all went well they would be together on the other side.

~~oOo~~

She hurried up higher and higher to Al's office. Her mind was filled with all that was happening. What had Butch meant by 'planned'? Was that why he asked her to trust him last night? Last night, no, she couldn't think about last night.

The going was smooth other than a few roaches until she got closer to the top. There were more guards wondering around and she needed to stop or go back to avoid them.

Nearing Al's office she heard loud smack and Amata cry out. A man's voice demand, "tell me where she is."

Jo slowly approached a window into a room where the sounds were coming from. Looking in, she saw Amata sitting in a chair and Officer Mack standing over her. The Overseer was nearby asking the questions.

"Where did she go Amata? I can't believe you are helping her after all we've discussed."

"I don't know where she is." Amata was crying. "Why are you doing this?"

Officer Mack hit her again and again. She fell from the chair and he went for her. Was the Overseer going to stop him?

No. not Amata, No.

Officer Mack picked her up like a rag doll and set her back on the chair. She looked like she was about to topple over.

"Amata, do you think because you are the Overseer's daughter things will go easily for you?  
The Overseer shook his head. "See, your father isn't going to protect you, now, where is she!"

"Shes…Shes…" she struggled to talk, her face was starting to swell.

"Yes?" Officer Mack leaned in to hear her.

She spat in Officer Mack's face and he smashed her onto the floor. Jo burst into the room swinging the baton at Officer Mack. She hit him and hit him before he was able to shove her against the wall knocking the air out of her lungs. Coughing, she swung again and hit his knee. He collapsed crying out and grasping his leg. Jo stood over him and hit him hard across the side of his head. He was down.

She rushed to her Amata's side and cradled her in her arms checking her injuries.

"Well, well, well, look who we have here. Just the person I was looking for."

Jolene froze. She couldn't look up at him. She couldn't bring herself to say anything. She was simply stiff with fear.

"Jolene, look at me!"

She brought her face up, tears streamed down her cheeks. He was pointing a pistol at her.

"Good girl. Now, stand up slowly and step away from your friend. We will have someone carry her to the clinic and you can fix her right up seeing as you are our only doctor now."

She moved away from her friend and Al called for Security on his Boy.

"Now we wait. Please have a seat." She sat. "I supposed you and I can raise my little babies together now, just the two of us." She buried her face in her hands and cried.

A shot went off. She jumped and watched the Over seer fall to the floor. Butch shot him again in the other leg. Al cried out. Butch kicked the gun away from him.

"Jo, get the gun." She was still in shock and couldn't move. He could see the terror on her face. He had never seen her so frightened.

Turning back to the Overseer he shot him again, this time near the right shoulder.

"You are such an evil fuck I wish I could make you suffer for all the Hell you've caused so many people, but I just don't have the time tonight." He stuck his foot into one of the wounds on Al's leg and shot him again in the stomach. Butch enjoyed watching him writhe in pain.

The Overseer reached out a blood smeared hand, "Butch, I always knew it would be you."

Butch finished him off with a shot to the neck. He was about to reach for Jo but jumped back when several more shots rang out. Jolene had emptied the pistol into Al's body. She stood there clicking the empty gun.

He reached out a hand, "Jo, he's dead and we need to go." He could hear the guards down the hall. The keys had fallen out of the Overseer's pocket when he fell. Butch grabbed them and Jo's hand as he rushed from the room.

She stood in the center of Al's office just as he left her when he let go of her hand while he worked the terminal to open the hidden passage. The desk swung aside and he pulled her down the stairs with him. They were almost there.

He punched the keyboard near the entrance which made a loud alarm sound and the large gear door began to open. He could hear guards coming down the tunnel. He ran for the door pulling her along.

Shots. The guards were shooting at them. Butch was in front of her and she watched as he stumbled and went down. He was hit in the leg. She screamed.

"Butch!"

Butch turned and shot the guard with their last bullet but they could hear more coming.

She helped him up.

"Jo go." He said it so quietly she wasn't sure she heard it at all until he stopped trying to limp forward.

Shocked she just looked at him. "No. nononononono don't ask me to do that."

"Go, there's no time."

"There they are!" The guards. "The door its open!" "Close it!"

"Find your father, Jo. Go."

The door started to close. She could see his eyes filling with tears.

"I love you Butch, I can't. I can't do this without you." She pulled on his arm trying to get him to move.

"Go, GO!" He shouted and shoved her from him.

The door, it was nearly closed. She ran for it and had to jump to get clear. As the door sealed shut behind her, she screamed.


End file.
